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Gallant Kenya claw way back into tennis elite
Kenya's Doubles team coach Rosemary Owino (centre) leads players in celebrating after beating Benin in their Davis Cup Group III Tennis Championship semi-finals on June 23, 2018 at Nairobi Club. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO |
What you need to know:
- Kenya’s Ismael Changawa and Ibrahim Kibet stunned the top seeded Benin pair of Alexis Klegou and Felix Hounkpevi in split sets of 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 in the deciding match of the Africa Group III Championship that ended at Nairobi Club on Saturday.
Kenya is back in Davis Cup Euro/Africa Group II tennis championship after 13 years in the cold.
Kenya’s Ismael Changawa and Ibrahim Kibet stunned the top seeded Benin pair of Alexis Klegou and Felix Hounkpevi in split sets of 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 in the deciding match of the Africa Group III Championship that ended at Nairobi Club on Saturday.
It was a thriller as Changawa redeemed himself after he had lost to top-ranked Klegou in closely contested singles match 7-6 (5), 6-4. That was moments after Sheil Kotecha had stopped Delmas N’Tcha also of Benin 6-4, 6-4.
Benin, who were top ranked and second-seeded Kenya shared the spoils 1-1 after the single matches with the doubles rubber left to settle the scores. That is when Changawa and Kibet stood up high to silence Benin. Klegou is 2015 African Games silver medallist.
Namibia beat Nigeria 2-1 in the other semi-final to qualify alongside Kenya to Euro/Africa Group II.
Kenya team none playing captain Rosemary Owino said that the players had to prove to themselves that they had to do it at home after they failed to qualify last year by a whisker.
“It feels great…it’s really encouraging and motivating to know th at the work we put into preparations was not in vain,” said Owino adding that the hard work to retain their place in Group II must start immediately by expose his young team to quality players from Europe.
“Our players need to improve on their ability to compete. We must not sleep on our laurels and expect wonders to happen next year. We now have the experience in the bag and we must move,” said Owino adding that the victory was good for upcoming players, sponsors and the federations.
Kenya narrowly missed out on promotion to Euro/Africa Davis Cup Group II after falling to Zimbabwe 2-0 in Africa Zone Group III play-off last year.
This was the first time Kenya was hosting the Davis Cup since 2002 in Mombasa where Kenya featured in Group II. Kenya would then drop to Group III after the country withdrew from both Fed Cup and Davis Cup in 2006.
Kenya, who first played Davis Cup in 1974, staged its best performance to reach the Europe/Africa Zone Group I semi-finals in 1992, but missed to qualify for the World Group. The team had the legendry Paul Wekesa.
