By sportsnewsarena correspondent
Apr 18, 2017
Kenya wheelchair tennis coach Lawrence Karanja is upbeat about Kenya chances in the upcoming International Tennis Federation (ITF) BNP Paribas World Team Cup.
The event will be hosted at two venues, namely Baia di Conte and Alghero Tennis Club, both in Sardinia, Italy, on May 1-7, 2017.
Karanja was bubbling with confidence as the team of four players resumed training after the Easter break at the Nairobi Club.
“We have had a good training session since we started training last month. I have been able to study the players and I can confidently say that there is progress. We expect tough competition but with the training we have had we are going to fight for a better performance,” Karanja said.
Kenya will be represented by Phoebe Masika, Jane Ndenga, Asiya Sururu and Elizabeth Njoki for the prestigious wheelchair tennis.
It will be Kenya’s first appearance at the global event after two years absence and the coach believes the much they have covered in training will help them post good results this time.
Kenya failed to win any match in their last campaign in 2015.
“We have changed on a lot on their technicality and there is a lot of improvement from the forward and back hand and tactical play. They had a problem with their tactics but from the training we have had I am happy that they have improvement and we are confident of winning a match depending on which teams we will be seeded against,” said Karanja.
While Sururu and Njoki will be making their maiden appearance at the event, Ndenga and Masika are returning with a hope of doing better than the last time.
Masika promised to play with passion in the event and hoped for better results this year in Baia di Conte. “I love wheelchair tennis and I will play with the passion I have for the sport. I will give it all that I have to bring better results home,” said Masika.
The BNP Paribas World Team Cup is the wheelchair tennis equivalent of the Davis Cup and Fed Cup. There are divisions for men, women, quads and a junior event supported by the Cruyff Foundation. It is held annually with a different nation hosting each year.
