Kenya's Cheruiyot storms doubles quarters in Tunisia

Kenya's Kevin Cheruiyot returns a serve to Zlatan Palazov of Bulgaria during the boys' singles match of the 2016 East Africa18 and under Junior Tennis Circuit on January 20, 2016. He won 5-7,7-6, (8)4-0. PHOTO | MARTIN MUKANGU |

What you need to know:

  • The duo beat home players Ahmed Amine Herress and Yassir Kilani 6-3, 6-4 in a second round boys’ doubles match. 

  • The duo will on Thursday take on Egyptians Youssef Hossam and Mohamed Abdel-Aziz for a place in the semi-finals. 

Kenya’s top seeded junior tennis player Kevin Cheruiyot alongside his doubles partner Bertus Kruger of South Africa yesterday advanced to the quarterfinals of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and Confederation of African Tennis (CAT) African Junior Closed Championship in Tunisia. 

The duo beat home players Ahmed Amine Herress and Yassir Kilani 6-3, 6-4 in a second round boys’ doubles match. 

However, Kenyan players faltered in the boys’ singles matches with Sheil Kotecha and Cheruiyot losing their respective matches restricting the country’s participation to the doubles event only. 

Cheruiyot said the win made amends after his singles match loss vowing to go all the way to the final in the doubles event. 

“I wanted to forget that defeat and I just came into the match with one mission, to win. My partner was equally impressive and together we have what it takes to go far in this competition,” Cheruiyot told Daily Nation Sport Sport on phone from Tunisia. 

“I believe by the end of this competition my game will improve and I will return a better player, one able to cope with pressure at the highest level.” 

Cheruiyot and Kruger dominated their Tunisian opponents from the opening set breaking them severally to race into a 4-0 lead after the fourth match. 

The Tunisians rallied back to take the next three matches but were eventually undone by a number of faults as their opponents took the first set after 40 minutes. The home players started the second set strongly taking a 2-0 lead with some brilliant serving. 

However, just like in the first, unforced errors proved to be their undoing allowing Cheruiyot and Kruger to crawl back into the match, levelling 2-2 before finally going in front to close out the set. 

The duo will today take on Egyptians Youssef Hossam and Mohamed Abdel-Aziz for a place in the semi-finals. 

Kenya’s poor run in the singles category continued with both Kotecha and Cheruiyot failing to advance to the third round. 

Kotecha lost 0-6, 1-6 to fourth seed Richard Thongoana of South Africa in the boys’ second round match while 11th seed Cheruiyot was upset 0-6, 3-6 by unseeded Mohamed Belcora of Tunisia in another second round encounter. 

Kotecha, who defeated Ahmed Mouhan of Mauritius 6-4, 7-6(8) in the previous round, was unable to repeat his heroics against his opponent who outclassed him during the 47-minute encounter. 

Kenya is not represented in the girls’ competition.