Njogu, Randiek seal ITF E.Africa last 8 slots

Albert Njogu and Ryan Randiek are through to the quarter finals of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) East Africa Junior Circuit 18 and Under.

The duo sealed their las 8 berths following their third round triumphs at the Nairobi Sports Club on Wednesday with Njogu edging Stefan Zivkovic two straight sets to love 2-0 (6-2, 6-4).

The 16-year-old broke down his Serbian opponent with some vicious serving to set become the first ever Mbagathi Secondary School student to reach the competition’s knockout stages.

“Albert is talented and has been a consistent performer. Last year he missed our target to make it to quarter finals but now he has done it,” Njogu’s coach Veronicah Osogi told Citizen Digital.

Ryan, son of Kenya Hockey Union (KHU) chairman Nahashon Randiek, went down in the first half to Rwandan Fabrice Tuyishime but made a stunning recovery in the second to win 6-0.

The game was forced into the extra after the third set ended 6-5 with the 15-year-old finally overcoming Tuyishime 7-5 in the fourth.

Meanwhile, in the ladies category, Kenya had no representation in the quarter finals of the singles after suffering early elimination.

Osogi, who is the brains behind the Zion Zone Tennis Ball Foundation, attributed the glaring absence of the Kenyan ladies in the knockout phase to lack of sufficient training.

“Our ladies are really trying. We lacked the exposure that our European competitors enjoy due to their favourable education system,” Osogi said.

Randiek will face Luka Petrovic from Great Britain while Njogu tackles Ukranian Eric Vanshshelboim.