Kenyan tennis players learn lessons at home
By Charles.Thuku, May 17, 2023Faith Urasa and Stacey Chepkemei lost their respective girls’ singles first-round matches as Kenyan players continued their learning process against superior foreign opposition at the ongoing International Tennis Federation (ITF) World Tour at Parklands Sports Club yesterday.
Whilst Urasa lost 6-0, 6-0 to Ishi Maheshwari of India, Chepkemei succumbed 6-2, 6-0 to Amelia Drozd from Poland in the world ranking tournament which concludes on Friday.
Urasa, who sat for his O-Levels at Shadrack Kimalel Secondary School last year, said she is elated at having garnered experience by playing top-notch players and that she can only get better.
She offered: “People should not read too much into the results. I think by playing more such matches, I will gather the requisite experience while readying myself to join the senior ranks. I have been down before and I don’t really give up.” The 17-year-old featured was featured in a previous ITF Circuit at Nairobi Club last January – where she lost 6-2, 6-2 to Israel’s Pony Inbar, currently ranked 959th in the world.
Like Urasa, Chepkemei said she has picked a lot of positives ever since the tournament started last Saturday.
“It has been interesting playing against experienced foreign players. I even feel proud to have plucked points against them. Kenyan players need more of such tournaments if the country is to excel in Davis Cup and Fed Cups,” said Chepkemei who was groomed by veteran coach Veronica Osogo.