Smashers Challenge Cup Displays Excellent Sportsmanship

Wycliffe Okenye

The Smashers Challenge Cup (4th edition), presented by gold sponsor, RentWorks, ended on a high note on Sunday 14^th August 2016 at Karen Country Club with 31 junior players braving the cold to showcase their talents in the game. The juniors came from all over Nairobi, Kisumu and Arusha. One of the highlights of the tournament was the match between Wycliffe Okenye and Ricky Omondi in the boys under 18/21 finals.The two gave a magnificent display of tennis in a match that kept spectators glued to their seats. It ended by Wycliffe thrashing Ricky 6/4, 6/2.

Kigamwa(right) receives a trophy from Ms.Moraa of RentWorks

Indefatigable player Changi Kigamwa of Karen Country Club battled his way to the semi finals but was stunned by Ricky Omondi 1/6, 2/6. Despite Kigamwa's loss to his opponent, Karen Country Club had a reason to celebrate as this was the first time since 2010 that a seed from the club had reached semi-finals in the under 18/21 category.

Shana Mao

In the girls under 12 category, Angela fought her way to the finals where she finally lost to  Nasombi Khangati 4/1. In the girls  U14/U16, talented Shana Mao had an easy win against her opponents and went her ahead to beat runner-up Julia Khangati 6/1 in the finals. In the boys under 12, Edward Odogo played well but finally lost to Moses Otieno in the finals. In the boys under 14 finals, Evans Aminga thrashed Evans Otieno 4/2. In the boys under 16, runner-up John Onyango put up a good fight throughout the match but finally lost (narrowly) to Charles Ochieng 6/7.

The final results were as follows:

Girls

12 & Under

Winner: Nasombi Khangati

R/Up: Angela Aluanga

3^rd: Scovia Nafula

4^th Nduta Kariuki

14/16

Winner: Shana Mao

R/Up: Julia Khangati

3^rd: Shamiso Pemiwa

4^th: Shiku Njuguna

Boys

12 &Under

Winner: Moses Otieno

R/Up: Edward Odogo

3^rd: Ibrahim Oburu

4^th: Henry Ochieng

14 & Under

Winner: Evans Aminga

R/Up: Evans Otieno

3^rd: Jerome Kitonga

16 & Under

Winner: Charles Ochieng

R/Up: John Onyango

3^rd: Chris Kagunda

4^th: Jerome Kitonga

Boys U18/U21

Winner: Wycliffe Okenye

R/Up: Ricky Omondi

3^rd: Billy Jagero

4^th: Changi Kigamwa.

The Smashers Challenge series forms part of a Level B Tennis Africa Cup ranking tournaments, for players between intermediate to advanced level. Winners from the Masters qualify for the World Finals of the Champions Bowl (http://www.champ-bowl.com), a worldwide tournament circuit, to be held in Spain later this year. This particular edition was sponsored by RentWorks and Wilson Sporting Goods. RentWorks is a lease company that provides rental finance solutions to a global customer base comprising large and medium size organizations.

Teresa Odera Earns GPAC Women’s Tennis All-Conference Honors

Congratulations to Teresa Odera for winning an All-Conference Honors for the second year running.  This year, Teresa, was named for honors, in both Womens' Singles and Doubles by The Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC), who recently announced their Women’s Tennis All-Conference selections for 2013. 

This is the second year in a row that Teresa, a former student and Captain of Kenya's top tennis school, Malezi School and player at Sadili Oval Sports Academy, has received the doubles honors, having earned it with team-mate Frankie Eszes as First Doubles. Teresa, an honors student studying Public Relations at North Western College Iowa, is the only international student athlete to receive the All Conference Honors.

Frankie Eszes (Santa Maria, Calif.) and Terry Odera (Nairobi, Kenya) earned first team honors in both singles' and doubles' play. Eszes posted a 9-6 record playing in the top singles' spot, earning first team accolades for the second straight year. Odera registered an 8-5 record at #2 singles and also earned the postseason honor for the second straight year. Eszes and Odera combined to go 5-2 in the top double's spot.

Jami Koens (Brandon, S.D.) and Amanda Bueltel (Estherville, Iowa) earned honorable mention all-conference honors. Koens went 6-11 in singles play, playing mainly in the #3 spot, while combining with Missy Yorchak to go 2-5 in doubles' play. Bueltel led the Red Raiders with a 10-5 singles' record in her first season at NWC. She posted a 6-8 record, along with partner Hannah Stark, playing #3 doubles. 

Northwestern finished fourth in the GPAC with a 3-4 record, 7-11 overall, losing to Nebraska Wesleyan in the GPAC semifinals. 

GPAC Press Release | PDF

SMASHERS CHALLENGE CUP CLOSES ON A HIGH NOTE

The final round of the Smashers Challenge Series 2012 ended to today at Sadili Oval Sports Academy, with Henry Ayesiga (Uganda) causing major upsets to become champion in both the Boys U16 and U18 categories. In the Boys U16, Henry Ayesiga topped Pool A after beating Wycliffe Okenye and Amon Muinde 6/1, 62 and 6/2,6/3, respectively. In the semi-finals, he met Shebani Kabura (Burundu), who had just routed out Olivier Kigotho (Kenya) 6/1 6/1, to win 7/6(6) 6/2. In the finals, he trounced John Lutaaya (Uganda) 6/3 6/1.  Josephat Garo (Kenya) took the U14s , beating Ronex Otieno (Kenya) 6/1 6/0.

Lornah Bhwenje lifted the Girls U18 after close matches against Chizi Mutsumi 6/4 7/6(7) and Melisa Brown 7/6(6 )7/5

The Smashers Challenge is a series of 5 tournaments at Level B for intermediate and advanced juniors players and is recognized and ranked by Tennis Africa Cup.

GSU-12

Belinda Awino v/s Elizabeth Sheila 6/0,6/0

Belinda Awino v/s Sophie Mary 6/1,6/2

Elizabeth Sheila v/s Sophie Mary 3/6,0/6

Winner: Belinda Awino

Runner-up:Sophie Mary

BSU-12

Pool A

Davis Matanda v/s Charles Ochieng 6/1,6/4

Davis Matanda v/s Elizabeth Aluoch 6/2,7/5

Charles Ochieng v/s Elizabeth Aluoch 6/4,6/4

1^st Davis Matanda

2^nd Charles Ochieng

Pool B

Antony Owita v/s Nigel Odhiambo 7/5,4/6,10/6

Antony Owita v/s Ronald Omondi 6/3,6/2

Nigel Odhiambo v/s Ronald Omondi 6/0,6/2

1^st Antony Owita

2^nd Nigel Odhiambo

SEMI FINALS

Davis Matanda v/s Nigel Odhiambo 7/5,6/1

Charles Ochieng v/s Antony Owita 4/6,2/6

1^st Davis Matanda

2^nd Antony Owita

FINALS

Semifinals	Final	Winner
Matanda Davis
	Matanda Davis
Odhiambo Nigel	7-5 6-1
		Matanda Davis
Ochieng Charles		6-0 6-1
	Owita Antony
Owita Antony	6-4 6-2

BSU-14

Pool A

Josephat Garo v/s Davis Matanda 6/3,6/2

Josephat Garo v/s David Mukhwana 6/1,6/2

Davis Matanda v/s David Mukhwana 4/6,5/7

1^st Josephat Garo

2^nd David Mukhwana

Pool B

Saada Nahimana v/s Ronex Otieno 5/7,6/1,8/10

Saada Nahimana v/s Antony Owita 0/6,0/6

Saada Nahimana v/s Byron Omondi 6/0,6/1

Ronex Otieno v/s Antony Owita 6/4,6/0

Ronex Otieno v/s Byron Omondi 6/0,6/3

Antony Owita v/s Byron Omondi 4/6,6/2,8/10

1^st Ronex Otieno

2^nd Antony Owita

Pool C

Wycliffe Okenye v/s Olivier Kigotho 4/6,2/6

Wycliffe Okenye v/s Sylvester Juma 6/0,6/0

Olivier Kigotho v/s Sylvester Juma 6/0,6/0

1^st Olivier Kigotho

2^nd Wycliffe Okenye

	Quarterfinals	Semifinals	Final	Winner
1	Garo Josphat
		Garo Josphat
2	Bye 1
			Garo Josphat
3	Owita Antony		6-2 6-2
		Okenye Wycliff
4	Okenye Wycliff	6-2 6-4
				Garo Josphat
5	Kigotho Olivier			6-1 6-0
		Kigotho Olivier
6	Mukhwana David	6-1 6-1
			Otieno Ronex
7	Bye 2		6-4 6-4
		Otieno Ronex
8	Otieno Ronex

BSU-16

Pool A

Henry Ayesiga v/s Amon Muinde 6/2,6/3

Henry Ayesiga v/s Wycliffe Okenye 6/1,6/2

Amon Muinde v/s Wycliffe Okenye 6/3,6/1

1^st Henry Ayesiga

2^nd Amon Muinde

Pool B

John Lutaaya v/s Shabani Kabura 6/3,6/4

John Lutaaya v/s Josephat Garo 6/3,6/2

Shabani Kabura v/s Josephat Garo 7/6(9),7/6(9)

1^st John Lutaaya

2^nd Shabani Kabura

Pool C

Robert Kasombo v/s Olivier Kigotho 6/4,6/1

Robert Kasombo v/s Ronex Otieno 6/2,6/1

Olivier Kigotho v/s Ronex Otieno 6/7(5),7/5,10/7

1^st Robert Kasombo

2^nd Olivier Kigotho

	Quarterfinals	Semifinals	Final	Winner
1	Ayesiga Henry
		Ayesiga Henry
2	Bye 1
			Ayesiga Henry
3	Kabura Shebani		7-6(6) 6-2
		Kabura Shebani
4	Kigotho Olivier	6-1 6-1
				Ayesiga Henry
5	Kasombo Robert			6-3 6-1
		Muinde Amon
6	Muinde Amon	6-0 3-6 [11-9]
			Lutaaya John
7	Bye 2		6-1 6-2
		Lutaaya John
8	Lutaaya John

BSU-18

Jamin Luvembe v/s Amon Muinde 6/1,6/4

Jamin Luvembe v/s Henry Ayesiga 4/6,6/3,8/10

Jamin Luvembe v/s John Lutaaya 6/3,6/7(5),11/9

Jamin Luvembe v/s Robert Kasombo 6/3,6/0

Amon Muinde v/s Henry Ayesiga 2/6,4/6

Amon Muinde v/s John Lutaaya 1/6,2/6

Amon Muinde v/s Robert Kasombo 6/0,3/6,11/9

Henry Ayesiga v/s John Lutaaya 6/1,6/1

Henry Ayesiga v/s Robert Kasombo 6/2,6/3

John Lutaaya v/s Robert Kasombo 6/0,6/0

Winner: Henry Ayesiga

Runner-up: Jamin Luvembe

GSU-18

Chizi Mutsumi v/s Lonah Bhwenje 4/6,6/7(0)

Chizi Mutsumi v/s Melisa Brown 3/6,6/3,4/10

Lonah Bwhenje v/s Melisa Brown 7/6,(6),7/5

Winner: Lonah Bhwenje

Runner-up: Melisa Brown