Event: Uganda National Tennis Championship, season finale
Date: 18th June, 2023 (Sunday)
Venue: Lugogo Tennis Complex, Kampala
The second edition of the Uganda National Tennis Championship will come to a close this Sunday 18th June, 2023 at Lugogo Tennis Complex in Kampala. After a difficult couple of months of the championship, charaterisized by major rain delays and clashing schedules with other tennis events, the championship has finally come to the final stages.
At the end of the group stages which have been going on since early March this year, Frank Tayebwa, unbeaten all season, topped Men’s Group A with 21 points while Simon Ayella topped Men’s Group B with 19 points.
In the quarterfinals played on the 11th June, Troy Zziwa easily beat Joel Mwisuke 6-3, 6-3 while Trevor Kazibwe survived elimination as his opponent, Said Mawa, retired due to injury with the first set (7-5) and a 3-1 lead in the second set. Men’s tittle holder Frank Tayebwa totally annihilated Arnold Jurua, 6-0 6-0, while Ronald Nassawali succumbed to hard-hitter Marvin Kiriwo, 2-6 6-4 6-0, in the thriller of the day, dashing the last hopes of a Lugogo boy winning this year’s title.
Women’s title holder, Winnie Birungi (18 points) sailed through the group stages unbeaten, easily topping the Women’s group. In the final, She will take on Patience Athieno (15 points) who came second after losing one match.
Tayebwa and Birungi who won the inaugural edition last year are still on course to take this year’s championship as well.
In the men’s semifinals which will also be played on Sunday, Tayebwa is set to give the most in-form junior at the moment, Troy Zziwa, one of his biggest tests locally while Marvin Kiriwo takes on Trevor Kazibwe. All coached by the same coach, Charles Ssenyange, the finals are set be a contest between Kampala Club based players. The semifinal matches will start at 11:00am.
Organised by Tena Tennis Academy and supported by Uganda Tennis Association, Association Familiae Turkheim in France and some generous individuals, the championship provides players with the opportunity to regularly compete in preparation for other events, national and international. 16 men, in two groups of 8 each, and 8 women took part in this years championship which will see the winners earn themselves an all expenses paid trip to France where they will spend two months training and competing at the Association Familae Turkheim Club.
“We are ready to host the winners in France,” said Alain Gerad, member of Association Familiae Turkheim Club, initiator and scrutinizer of the championship.
Despite the funding challenges due to the lack of sponsorship, preparations for the Grand Finale are in high gear.
“The Grand Finale is going to be an exciting fun day showcasing the best tennis in Uganda, including many other activities like fan challenges and raffles with lots of prizes to win. We hope we can still get a sponsor to fund the final day of the championship,” said Victor Drile, Publicity Secretary of the Championship.
