Tennis Kenya sets stage for centenary celebrations

It's around 1 p.m. on a sultry Wednesday afternoon when the tyres of our car ultimately grace the smooth tarmac of the scenic and historic Nairobi Club.

Welcome to the home of celebrated Kenyan tennis players. It is here that a stellar ensemble of Kenyan legends — including Paul Wekesa, Philip Ilako, Anita Aggarwal, and Susan Githuku — plied trade for decades.

We are ushered in at the gate by a courteous security team before checking into the car park where the driver pulls over right at the edge of a fuchsia fence.

I heave a big sigh of relief — it's been a hectic journey! We should have been there much earlier had it not been for the all too familiar snarl-ups that characterize the vibrant streets of Kenya's bulging capital city.

Sweltering under the collar from the day's unrelenting heat, I swing the door open and my face momentarily slumps into a whiff of the fresh breeze as I barrel my way down the path that leads into Tennis Kenya offices.

Upon bursting through the entrance into the hallway, the sight of brown wooden slates hanging graciously on the wall strikes my attention. The slates, which have names of erstwhile players ingrained in gold, jog us down memory lane, dating back to the pre-independence period.

My gaze quickly shifts to the dazzling presence of glittering trophies and medals that embellish the wall of an adjacent room across the floor. Curious to have a closer glimpse, I close in and bump into two gentlemen and a lady who is busy sprucing up the shelves. I demystify my identity and explain my mission.

“Good afternoon, I'm here to see Wanjiru Karani,” I curtly say.“Wanji? I'm not sure whether she is already here but let me check outside,” responds one of the men.

He dashes outside and scanning through the space, spots the silhouettes of two individuals engaged in a lively tete-a-tete a few metres from where we are.

“There she is,” he says excitedly while pointing at a lady sporting a brown sleeveless blouse and a pair of blue denim jeans. We then proceed to the exact locality where I meet Wanjiru Karani, the current Tennis Kenya secretary-general.

Standing at about 5'8 and of medium build, the bubbly lady with a chocolate complexion gives one an instant impression she must have been actively involved in some sports at one time in her past life. You are right — she was once a tennis star.

 The gentleman in her company is none other than Peter Wachira, the seasoned national team head coach who has presided over the growth of local talent for close to over three decades now. Wachira is not your run-of-the-mill kind of a guy.

A Head of State's Commendation medal he recently received from the president is pinned on his coat, further underlining his wealth of experience and vast contribution.

A robust and exuberant gentleman standing well over six feet, Wachira initially gives me the no-nonsense gaze that belies his affable nature which gradually unfurls in the course of our engrossing conversation.

The three of us then proceed to a white tent 30 metres away to seek refuge from the raging sun. There, we slump into our seats to engage in an hour-long conversation.

“Are you aware that as recently as the '80s, Africans were barred from accessing the Nairobi Club Tennis Stadium?”  Wachira immediately plunges into the conversation.

His sensational comment hands me a hard knock in the face and just before I can recover fully from the resultant shock, he goes on. “Right outside at the entrance, we had a signboard written ‘Africans and dogs are not allowed in here.’

That particular remark gets me on the edge of my seat as I yearn to hog more information about this relic of colonial rule that stands right at the centre of the centenary celebrations.

“There is no doubt we have come a long way. When I arrived here, there were only Caucasians and Asians. I was the first black person to join the great and even then it wasn't easy being accepted,” says Wachira.

Wachira is glad that the country can today celebrate the success of 18-year-old Angella Okutoyi who rose into the global limelight following her exceptional exploits at the just concluded Australian Open in Melbourne.

Angela's success narrative epitomizes the struggles we've endured as a country to attain our current status, says Wachira. The tennis prodigy recently left tears rolling freely upon her arrival from Australia as she narrated how she had to wrestle down a nagging cycle of poverty to spring into the global limelight.

In Melbourne, she easily ran over Italian Federica Urgesi and Australian Zara Larke in the first two rounds before crushing to Serbian Lola Radivojevic in the third round.

Despite her underwhelming sojourn in Melbourne, Angela nonetheless basks in the glory of being the first Kenyan to battle at the junior Grand Slam after Christian Vitulli in 2006 and the first girl from Kenya to register a win in a Grand Slam match.

“Angela's success testifies to our success in moulding the ballooning pool of talent that we identify in the Kenyan slums,” Wanjiru chips in at some point.

“We initiated a programme specifically meant to deconstruct the age-old mentality that tennis is an elitist sport,” she adds.

“We have managed to nurture stars from the slums and the remote parts of the country.”But then, how come there are not palpable structures in the areas you've just mentioned?” I interject.

“Since we cannot put up courts and provide all the equipment, we've been encouraging those who express interest in pursuing the sport to use the available spaces they have and improvise equipment,” says Wanjiru.

“For instance in Kitale, we have seen them use mosquito nets,” she says. To sustain the nationwide programme and keep it vibrant, Tennis Kenya has rolled out coaching courses over the years.

“I'd served as the national team coach for a very long time. It meant that I had to travel with all the national teams. This took a huge toll on my private life and I had no time for my family,” explains Wachira.

“So one day, I approached the TK chairman and proposed the coaching courses so that we could train more tacticians to give me a helping hand. The rest is history,” says Wachira.

“We've been visiting counties and schools to train teachers. We usually assemble about 10-15 teachers at ago. We allow them a couple of days to induct their learners into the sport. After training them we organize tournaments where they can put their knowledge into practice,” says Wachira.

While Wanjiru concedes TK actually benefited from a parcel of land allocated by the government, she says development funds have not been forthcoming, rendering the land idle for some time now.

To celebrate its numerous successes and struggles, TK have lined up a host of activities to mark its centenary. Initially christened the Kenya Lawn Tennis Association (KLTA), the local governing body will be marking a whopping 100 years of existence since its inception in 1922.

Preparations towards the celebration proper have begun in earnest with TK president James Kenani already throwing the gauntlet down to his deputies Philip Ilako and Francis Mutuku to spearhead the planning committee.

“The committee will delve into the federation's history as it endeavours to recognise individuals whose efforts have transformed the face of the sport in the country. Some of them will be rewarded post-humously” says Wanjiru.

“The itinerary also includes open days and festivals, exhibitions, tournaments, awards gala.

“We shall also be launching our first public courts at the National Tennis Centre at Moi Stadium, Kasarani,” says Karani.

Wanjiru singles out the key pillars that have kept TK's flame blazing over the years.

“TK continues to run a successful junior program under head coach Caroline Oduor. During the Covid period, fitness sessions continued virtually. TK took the opportunity to restructure the program which will be rolled out this year.

“Two competitions were held in February and March 2020. County activations were suspended in 2020 due to the pandemic,” says Wanjiru.

“The second pillar revolves around competitions, she adds. TK have four national seniors' and juniors' competitions on their calendar. Also lined up are three  ITF Junior Circuits, East Africa Zone Championships, and 12 and under teams championships. There are also three local-sanctioned events.”

“The third pillar centres around the Davis Cup and Fed Cup. The Davis Cup team qualified for the Euro Africa Group II playoffs in 2020. The team played the tie in Indonesia in March 2020 and lost.

“The team went through extensive three-month preparation and players were in camp for a month before traveling to Egypt for a month to play tournaments before the tie. The team comprised of captain Rosemary Owino, IsmaelChangawa, Sheil Kotecha, Ibrahim Kibet and Kevin Cheruiyot.”

The Fed Cup was rebranded to Billie Jean Cup. The 2020 event was postponed and will take place in Lithuania in 2021.

The women's team were runners-up while the men's team took the fourth position. The team comprised captains Lawrence Karanja and Veronica Osogo; players Jane Ndenga, Phoebe Masika, Asiya Sururu, Collins Ondimo, Peter Munuve, and Rajab Abdallah.

Wanjiru says the fourth pillar ropes in the wheelchair junior development programs that kicked off in Machakos (Masaku School for the Physically Challenged) and Thika (Joytown).