KENYA
Kenya is the strongest and most active
nation across my region in terms of tennis
development. For starters, the Junior Tennis
Initiative (JTI) run by Tennis Kenya engages
huge numbers, with around 6,000 kids
involved in the programme.
It is also a country which hosts eight ITF
World Tennis Tour Juniors events a year as
well as men's, women's and wheelchair
tournaments. In Angella Okutoyi, meanwhile,
Kenya boasts a junior player who earlier this
year was ranked a career-high No. 127 in the
girls' rankings.
Angella, 17, has had experience of the
professional game having featured on the
ITF World Tennis Tour, but this year she has
continued her development with the first J4
titles of her career. Both of Angella's trophies
were secured in Kenya's capital city, Nairobi,
which was symbolic for her.
It should be noted, however, that
Covid-19 has had a significant impact
within the country and there have been
numerous lockdowns and lots of disruption
to development programmes in schools, for
instance.
As another consequence of Covid-19, it
was decided last year that activities at the
ITF East Africa Regional Training Centre in
Nairobi should be suspended. This too has
had a big impact on development within
Kenya and other nations across East Africa.
But, as I say, Kenya is a huge tennis
development nation, and we all look forward
to returning to a situation when all
such programmes and initiatives are
up and running again and delivering
as they were pre-Covid.
"
Wanjiru Mbugua-
Karani, third from the
le , is an influen al
figure at Tennis Kenya
ITF World Summer 2021 33
RWANDA
Rwanda is one of several nations to have
benefitted from the ITF Facilities Grant
Programme since its introduction in 2017 and
with this financial assistance the Rwanda Tennis
Federation has built two further courts at
Rwanda Polytechnic in Kigali.
In total, the project undertaken by the
Rwanda Tennis Federation, which was
completed in 2020, has seen six courts
constructed – an amazing achievement for a
nation in Covid-19 times. In total, the national
association now has nine courts at its disposal:
six at Rwanda Polytechnic and three at the
Amahoro National Stadium.
Early last year, meanwhile, Rwanda topped
the podium at the ITF/CAT East Africa Junior
Tennis Championships in Dar es
Salaam, Tanzania, where a player by
the name of Junior Hakizumwami
won gold in the under-14 singles.
Junior was one of eight youngsters to be
offered a place on the tennis programme at
the ITF East Africa Regional Training Centre
in Nairobi at the beginning of last year but
returned to Rwanda following the Covid-19
outbreak.
Junior, who also won silver during the East
African Under-14 Tennis Championships in
Kenya in December 2019, is a talent and
we are currently sorting his visa so he can
continue his scholarship at the ITF/CAT African
Development Centre in Casablanca.
"
"
"
Junior
Hakizumwami
in ac on
CLICK FOR MAP VIEW
WATC H M O R E
WATC
H
M
O
R
E
WATC
H
M
O
R
E
