Kenya's struggles at Africa Junior Championships go unabated

Kenya's tough run at the ITF/CAT Junior Championship continued on Wednesday at the Nairobi Club after top junior players suffered defeats in the 14 and under category.

Ashley Lila Wafula bowed out in the girls' main round of 16 after a heavy 6-0, 6-1 loss to Tunisia's Saba Sahbani. Despite the defeat, Ashley remained optimistic about her performance.

"I played well, but I think I could have done better. I had too many errors, putting balls outside the court.

“I have been preparing well for this tournament, but it happens. At least the competition has helped me socialize with many people, and I’ve learned that early preparation in the game really helps," Ashley said.

In the boys’ category, Indiatsi Maina Olembo fell to Namibia’s Johan Theron in the ranking matches for positions 17-32, losing 6-2, 6-1.

"Whenever I play, I feel my opponent is much stronger. I am still young, and I can’t cope with the speed of the ball.

“My opponent was good, but he overpowered me, probably because he was more muscular. I need to work on my consistency," said Indiatsi.

Jyan Patel also suffered a 6-2, 6-0 defeat against Tunisia’s Youssef Lahmar in the ranking matches.

"It has been really tough and competitive, but every loss is a learning experience. My opponent made me run a lot, and I couldn't make early decisions.

“I need to work on my movement to reach a higher level," Jyan reflected.

Khalil Nathani lost to Zimbabwe’s Muchengeti Manzungu 6-2, 6-4.

Ayan Quadros suffered a 6-3, 6-0 loss to Uganda’s Samuel Okello.

Jenerica Rogoi was defeated by Jyoova Lutia Kratos 7-5, 6-2 in the ranking matches for positions 17-32.

Despite the losses, tournament director Wanjiru Mbugua expressed pride in the Kenyan players’ efforts.

"It has been a tough championship for them, but we are proud of their journey. There is a lot to do. We had a pathway for junior players, but it was disrupted during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We used to have a High-Performance Center where players like Angela Okutoyi emerged. However, since last year, we have had a National Training Center (NTC) where young players train," she explained.

Mbugua also called on the government to step in and support such events.

"We are urging the government to come on board and assist in hosting these tournaments. This year, we have had about five weeks of international events, [including the East Africa Junior Championship held last month] but there was no financial aid from the government," she said.