2024: A year of milestones for Kenya’s tennis

From Angela Okutoyi’s electrifying triumphs to the introduction of groundbreaking tournaments like the ITF-ranked Beach Tennis in Malindi, the year witnessed Kenya’s unyielding passion and commitment to the sport. With juniors taking center stage and seasoned players making history, 2024 stands as a defining moment for Tennis Kenya’s legacy.

Kenya failed to send a participant to the Paris Olympics in the Tennis competition segment this year. However, it was largely a successful year for junior programs, both locally and abroad.

Aside from annual programs like the Kenya Open Championships, Tennis Kenya hosted a slew of exciting and competitive tournaments. Some of the top events in Nairobi included the Billie Jean Cup Group III event and two W25 events held at Nairobi Club and Karen Country Club.

Monumental tournament

Kenya also made history by successfully bidding for, organising, and executing the first-ever ITF-ranked Beach Tennis tournament in Malindi, where the duo of Shufaa Changawa and Faith Urasa clinched bronze medals.

Additionally, the launch of the National Training Centre (NTC) created opportunities for the Junior Tennis Initiative (JTI) program to thrive across schools and academies, while a junior wheelchair tennis camp was an innovative concept that sparked interest.

Kenya excelled in hosting top-tier events, including 12 National Junior tournaments, 11 ITF World Tennis Tour Junior events (featuring the first-ever J100), 10 sanctioned events, 2 ITF UNIQLO Wheelchair tournaments, 1 National Senior event (Kenya Open Championships), ITF/CAT 14 & Under Circuits, 2 ITF World Tennis Tour W25 events and 2 ITF Beach Tennis BT10 events.

The NTC currently trains 30 players, including the top four players in each category (12 & Under, 14 & Under, 16 & Under, 18 & Under).

Kenya’s star player, Angela Okutoyi, delivered sensational performances both domestically and internationally. The 20-year-old, based in the United States, retained her Kenya Open Ladies Championship title and clinched Kenya’s first-ever W25 Tour-level title.

She also won the 13th African Games title in March 2024, rewriting history in Accra, Ghana, by earning Kenya’s first continental title in nearly five decades.

Missed by a whisker

However, Okutoyi narrowly missed qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics after falling short of the top 400 ranking. At the time, the three-time Kenya Open champion and 2022 Wimbledon Doubles Junior Champion was ranked 495, needing to reach the top 400 by June 10.

Meanwhile, young ace Kael Shah had a remarkable year, clinching the Kenya Open Men’s title after upsetting multiple-time winner Ismael Changawa. This marked Shah’s first-ever top cash prize event victory.

The Denison University sophomore ended the 2024 season as the national runner-up in the NCAA Division III Men’s Tennis Singles Championship.

Tennis Kenya also had strong representation in team events, including the ITF/CAT East Africa Junior Teams (12 & Under) in Tanzania, the ITF/CAT East Africa Zone Championships (14 & 16 & Under) in Burundi, the Davis Cup qualifiers in Angola, the Africa Junior Championships (12 & Under) in Botswana, the BNP Paribas World Team Cup Africa Qualifiers in Nigeria, the Africa Junior Championships (14 & Under) in Togo and the 13th Africa Games in Ghana.

2024 performance

In the Davis Cup, Kenya finished sixth overall, while in the Billie Jean King Cup, the host nation secured third place.

In wheelchair tennis, Kenya’s team performed well at the Nigerian World Team Cup Qualifiers in March 2024, with the men’s team finishing eighth and the women’s team clinching sixth place.

The officiating department also excelled in 2024, with nine Tennis Kenya-accredited referees earning high-profile assignments across the continent.

ITF Silver Badge Referee Patrick Kamuhia served as the ITF Supervisor for the Davis Cup World Group II tie in Togo. Ronald Okoth officiated at the ATP Challenger in Rwanda, Anne Mumbi at the Billie Jean King Cup in Nairobi, and James Maina at the ITF Men’s Tour in Ethiopia.

Treasa Mutuku officiated at both the ITF Men’s Tour in Rwanda and the Billie Jean King Cup in Portugal. Ellie Madegwa (Davis Cup in Botswana), Collins Oyugi (ITF Women’s Tour in France), and Lawrence Karanja (ITF Women’s Tour in Burundi) also took on key assignments that boosted their careers.