This archive report was first published on 15 August 2019.
On Thursday, August 15, 2019, the International Tennis Federation Women's World Tour came to a close at Peponi School in Kiambu County, marking the end of the road for local players.
The tournament, which boasted a prize purse of $15,000 (Sh1.5 million), saw Kenya's top players, including Angela Okutoyi, the Kenya Open champion, and Roselida Asumwa, fall short of their goals.
Angela Okutoyi, who was nursing a shoulder injury during the tournament, expressed her gratitude for the experience, stating, 'I'm glad I was part of this tournament because I've earned a great deal of experience that I will use during the African Games.'
Other notable losses included Cynthia Wanjala, who was eliminated 6-1, 6-0 by Lexie Stevens of the Netherlands, and Judith Nkatha, who lost 6-0, 6-2 to Paulina Jastrzebska of Poland.
Despite their losses, the players remained optimistic, with Alicia Owegi and Shania Kaur Gadhia stating, 'We did so well in our doubles before today, but tennis is unpredictable. We are still grateful for the experience and there is always a next time.'
The final team of four heading to Morocco for the African Games will be announced on Saturday.
The quarter-finals pairing for Friday included Sada Nahimana (Burundi) v Tamara Baraditzhaki (Israel), Lexie Stevens (Netherlands) v Sravya Chilakalapudi (India), Fiona Codino (France) v Paulina Jastrzebska (Poland), and Mahak Jain (India) v Celestine Avomo (Gabon).
