Top seeded Ndenga storms semis

What you need to know:

  • Kenyan tennis players on Monday reached the semi-finals of the Nairobi Open wheelchair Futures Series that got underway at the Nairobi Club.
  • Kenyan top-seeded women’s player Jane Ndenga led Mohamed Asiya Sururu to reach the last four stage in the women’s competition, while Collins Omondi is the only home player through to men’s semi-finals.
  • Ndenga, who got a bye to the quarterfinals courtesy of her high ranking, saw off Eman Hassan of Egypt 6-1, 6-2 to reach the last four.

Kenyan tennis players on Monday reached the semi-finals of the Nairobi Open wheelchair Futures Series that got underway at the Nairobi Club.

Kenyan top-seeded women’s player Jane Ndenga led Mohamed Asiya Sururu to reach the last four stage in the women’s competition, while Collins Omondi is the only home player through to men’s semi-finals.

Ndenga, who got a bye to the quarterfinals courtesy of her high ranking, saw off Eman Hassan of Egypt 6-1, 6-2 to reach the last four. Ndenga was in imperious form, winning after just 45 minutes to move two wins away from the title. 

The Kenyan attributed her win to intense training and a good start that unsettled her opponent.

“I surprised her with my quick start to the match and this troubled her. The win gives me confidence ahead of the World Cup qualifiers, where I hope to keep the momentum,” Ndenga told Nation Sports.

Hassan had beaten home player Lucy Muthama to 6-0, 6-0 to set up the clash with Ndenga but was unable to trouble the top ranked Kenyan, who made good use of her powerful right hand to romp to victory.

Ndenga will on Tuesday face another Egyptian Shaimaa Abdi Ellatif in the last four. Ellatif beat her compatriot Neama Nouh Ahmed 6-4, 6-4.

Sururu, who also got a bye to the last eight, continued Kenya’s dominance after recovering from a set down to beat Morocco’s Naima Habboubi 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 and reach today’s last four. She will face the winner of the match between Kenya’s Phoebe Masika and Nouh Ahmed of Egypt.

The duo were due to face off later on Monday.

Collins Omondi will be Kenya’s representative in the men’s competition after he upset fellow country man Rajab Abdalla 6-3, 6-7(3), 6-1 in a thrilling contest.  Kenya’s top seed Peter Munuve crashed out after he went down 1-6, 7-5, 3-6 to Tanzania’s Mohamed Hamis Juma.

Juma will play Omondi in Tuesdays last four while in the other semi-final, Mohamed Abdel of Egypt will take on Novatus Temba of Tanzania. The three-day competition has attracted players from Tanzania, Egypt, Morocco and hosts Kenya.

The tournament is a warm-up for the BNP Paribas World Team Cup Africa qualifying event that begins at the same venue on Thursday.

Ghana, Nigeria and Mauritius will join the rest of the nations to fight out for the two slots available for the top men and women’s team at the end of the tourney.