The fifth edition of the Omanyala Tennis 10s is set to serve off on Saturday, 3 October at Nairobi Club, with more than 200 young players from Kenya, Uganda and Latvia expected to take part in the growing junior tennis event.Download our Mozzart Sport app for more newsThe tournament, founded by Africa’s fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala, has established itself as a platform for introducing children to competitive tennis, while identifying and nurturing young talent through sport.This year’s field brings together players from public primary schools, private schools, tennis clubs and academies, underlining the tournament’s growing reach, and its commitment to creating opportunities for children from different backgrounds.##NAJAVA_MECA_10003034##Among the institutions expected to be represented are Zion Zone Foundation, JTI Primary Schools, Activity Tennis, Agility Tennis, Bumblebee Tennis, Extreme Tennis, German School, High Performance Tennis, Loreto Convent Valley Road, Next Gen Multisports Academy, Oshwal Sports Complex, Parklands Sports Club, Isaya Tennis Academy, Roca Tennis, Strathmore School and KCB Leadership Centre.Players from JTI Primary Schools will include children from Dr. Livingstone, Kabete Vet Lab, Kiboro, Kileleshwa, Marurui, Muthurwa and Olympic.Thunder sweep KPA to lift third consecutive unbeaten KBF titleThe participation of players from Uganda and Latvia adds an international dimension to this year’s competition, giving the young players an opportunity to compete against peers from different countries while building friendships and learning through the game.For Omanyala, the tournament is about creating opportunities for children beyond the tennis court.“We started the Omanyala Tennis 10’s with a simple vision: to give children an opportunity to discover tennis, compete, make friends and believe in what they can achieve,” Omanyala said.Madina Okot features as Atlanta Dream secure first playoff semifinal since 2018“Seeing more than 200 children come together for the fifth edition is a testament to how much the tournament has grown. We want every child who comes through this initiative to leave with more than just a result; we want them to leave with confidence, discipline and a love for the game,” he added.The initiative has also begun producing players, who have progressed to represent Kenya at regional level.Four former Omanyala Tennis 10s champions Muyanze Kahi, Fidel Castal, Kenna Mbogo and Ashlyn Keisha recently played key roles as Team Kenya excelled at the WT/CAT 12 & Under Eastern Africa Zonal Championships in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.Karan Patel secures historic third title without turning wheel in TanzaniaKahi and Castal, both champions in the 2023 and 2024 editions, helped Kenya retain the boys’ regional title, while Mbogo and Keisha, who won the 2024 and 2023/2024 editions respectively, were part of the girls’ team that secured bronze.Their progression provides an example of the pathway the tournament seeks to create for young players.Tennis Kenya Secretary General and Tournament Director Nancy Nduku said the continued growth of the event has been driven by collaboration among schools, clubs, academies, parents, coaches and partners.##NAJAVA_MECA_10003043##“The fifth edition is a very special milestone for us. Bringing together more than 200 children from schools, clubs and academies, as well as players from Kenya, Uganda and Latvia, creates a wonderful environment for competition and learning,” Nduku said.“Our goal is to run an event where every child feels valued, gets an opportunity to compete and enjoys the experience. We are grateful to all the coaches, parents, institutions, officials and partners who continue to make this possible,” she offered.Naomi Korir's 13-year battle that almost denied her a career in runningThe organisers noted that the diversity of participating institutions reflects the tournament’s commitment to making tennis more accessible to children while creating an environment where young players can develop their skills and confidence.Beyond competition, the tournament offers children an opportunity to interact with fellow players, experience organised competition and develop important values such as discipline, confidence and sportsmanship.
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