Three Ugandan U-14 tennis players are in Togo for the ITF/CAT Individual Africa Junior Championship On Hard Court (AJCHC) 2023 scheduled for 16-21 March in the Capital Lome.
The team comprises of two boys, that is; Latif Ssendyowa and Jonah Ssentongo plus one girl, that is; Claire Nalubuula.
Uganda earned a ticket to the Lome event following an excellent performance at the East African Regional Zonals Tournament in Bujumbura, Burundi in January.
Latif Ssendyowa and Jonah Ssentongo were finalists in the doubles draw of the Zonals Championship and also finished ranked 2nd and 4th in the singles draw of the Zonals in the U-14 age category.
Ssendyowa and Ssentongo follow in the footsteps of Troy Adrian Zziwa and Trevor Kazibwe who were the last players at the Africa Individual Junior Championship on Clay Court (AJCCC) for U-14 hosted in Tunisia.
Nalubuula ranked 76 is breaking new ground for ladies tennis as the first girl at the AJC for Uganda in over 12 years after Lydia Ndagire represented Uganda with Davis Cup player Simon Ayella at the AJC in 2010.
Experienced junior players’ coach Edward Odockcen continues on a stellar career growth path having now led Teams to the AJC U-12 Final event twice (2019- Morocco & 2022- Maputo) only missing out in 2020 due to Covid-19 disruptions as well as the AJCCC Tunisia U-14 final event.
Meanwhile, the main tournament is preceded by a Grade 2 ITF/CAT U-14 event at the Stade Omnisport Togo, Lome running from 11-15 March.
