Kenyan tennis players posed mixed performances during the Africa Junior championships in Sousse, Tunisia.
Top seed Angela Okutoyi romped into the quarterfinals after beating Manal Ennaciri of Morocco 7-6(5), 6-1.
Despite a tough set in which Ennaciri gave Okutoyi a fright, the Kenyan top star showed composure to save four match points to win the set in the tie-break.
The country's youngest Kenya Open champion displayed quality in the second set, pounding several winners past the North African to advance to the last eight.
The teen sensation then teamed up with Botswana's Ekua Youri to defeat Chelsea Chaknyuka and Naledi Raguin of Botswana 6-3, 6-1 to progress to the quarter-finals.
Alicia Owegi bowed out in the first round after losing to Tunisia's Hiba Heni 6-3, 6-2 while Cynthia Cheruto lost to Ons Boubaker of Tunisia 6-1, 6-0.
Owegi and Cheruto now turn their attention to the doubles category but will need to amass as many points as possible for Kenya to defend the title in both categories.
Owegi said they had not lost hope and were positive of positive results in the doubles. " We will be going flat out in doubles as we seek to atone for the dismal results in the singles," she noted.
She added: "We have a good chance in the doubles category and we are relishing the challenge of competing against the best on the continent.”
