20 Aug 2011 Sadili Talent Training Academy Perform At ITF/CAT Event

Henry Ayesiga

8 months into its inception, Sadili Talent Training Academy team comprising of Henry Ayesiga (UG), Shebani Kabura (BDI), John Lutaya (UG), David Nesbitt (USA) and Olivier Kigotho (KE), beat all odds to leave a positive mark at the just ended African 14 and Under Circuit tournaments held in Bujumbura, Burundi. In the 1st tournament, David Nesbitt won his first round match against Iranyumva Jeze (BDI) 6/2, 4/6, 7/6(3) and was then stopped in the second round by seed 3 Shabani Kassalo (BDI). Team mates John Lutaya and youngest team member Olivier Kigotho were unfortunately, drawn against each other in the first round, with Lutaya winning 6-1, 6-0. Kigotho moved on to the backdraw where he won Iranyumva Jeze 7/6, 6/2 to take position 21, while Nesbitt lost to Bill Makoyi (TZ) 3/6, 4/6 to take position 16. Lutaya moved on to second round, where he met and beat Jules Ndibwami (RWA) 6/0, 6/4. In the quarters, he met and lost to top seed Saidi Nkurunzinza quarters, 6/0, 7/5 following a nervous start. Shebani Kabura (seed 2) played John Njau (TZ), a tough encounter 6/3, 1/6, 6/4, then faced Ernest Habiyambere (BDI) 3/6, 6/0, 6/4 to set up a semi-final clash against Henry Ayesiga. Ayesiga (seed 8) overcame Muhamed Omar (BDI) 5/7, 6/4, 6/4 to meet seed 3, Shabani Kassalo (BDI), upsetting him in a close encounter, 2/6, 6/4, 6/3. Team mates Kabura and Ayesiga had to fight it out, with Kabura taking the win 6/7(2), 6/4, 6/2, but losing in the finals to top seed Saidi Nkurunzinza 6/7(5), 3/6. Kabura finished second, Ayesiga 3rd and Lutaaya 8th. In the doubles, Nesbitt/Kigotho beat Ntatangwa Kempt/Cedric Muyire 5/7, 6/3, 11/9 before losing to second seeds Kassalo/Omari 2/6, 0/6 in the quarters. Ayesiga/Lutaya (3) beat Makoyi/Njau 6/2, 6/3, then lost to Nkurunzinza/Kabura (1), 5/7, 2/6. Nurunzinza/Shabani won the doubles, beating Kassalo/Omari 6/4, 6/3

In the second tournament, David Nesbitt lost in the first round to Ibrahim Kessy (TZ) 1/6, 3/6, and went ton to reach the semi-finals of the backdraw, losing to Keith Wakatama (ZIM) 1/6, 1/6. Kigotho also lost in the first round and reached the quarters of the backdraw, losing to Musa Juma (BDI) 4/6, 3/6. Lutaya met and beat Ibrahom Kessy 6/1, 6/3 before, once again a quarter-final meeting top seed Saidi Nkurunzinza (BDI) and fighting hard to push him, finally losing in the third set 1/6, 6/4, 4/6. Second seed, Sadili player, Shabano Kabura, beat Aiesha Chikanda (ZIM) 6/1, 6/0 and John Njau (TZ) 7/6(4), 6/4 to meet a revived team mate, Henry Ayesiga, to whom he lost 2/6, 6/3, 1/6 in the semi-finals. A determined Ayesiga, mauled over Djuma Hakizimana (BDI) 6/0, 6/1, Mohamed Omar (BDI) 6/3, 3/6, 62 to get to the semis. In the finals, he worked patiently through the match against Shabani Kassalo (who had also upset top seed Saidi in the semis) to win the crown 7/6(4), 6/1. In the doubles, Nkurunzinza/Shabani remanined unbeatable, grabbing the top berth after making short work of Wakatama/Chikanda 6/3, 6/3, Njau/Uwimana 6/2, 6/2 and Kassalo Mohammed 6/4, 4/6 (8). Lutaya/Ayesiga beat Nganyi/Hakiza 4/6, 6/3 (8) then lost in the semi-finals to Kassalo/Mohammed 2/6, 1/6. All in all, the STTA gathered an impressive number of points, placing them in lead positions from both tournaments.

The final rankings for the Sadili team was: Henry Ayesiga (1), Shabani Kabura (3), John Lutaya (6), David Nesbitt (18) and Olivier Kigotho (22).