Host Team Kenya Women’s National Tennis team has been pitted in Pool B alongside Tunisia, Mauritius and Burundi at the Billie Jean King Cup Africa Group III tournament.
Kenya, who put in huge performances in the last edition held at the same venue having started the tournament ranked 11 out of 12 countries, are fielding African Games women singles champion Angella Okutoyi as well as fellow USA-based players Alicia Owegi and Roselida Asumwa and Kenyan-based Cynthia Wanjala and Stacy Yego.
Draw for the tournament took place on Sunday afternoon at the Nairobi Club where Coach Francis Rogoi revealed that Kenya’s ultimate goal at the 12-nation competition was winning gold which comes with promotion to Europe/Africa Group II in 2025.
“There are no easy teams at the Billie Jean King Cup and so you cannot talk of any of them being favourites. We hope to play our best tennis, taking one match at a time and hopefully achieve our goal of being promoted,” said Rogoi.
Okutoyi reiterated that Kenya’s goal was winning gold. “We have a good team. We know each other well because we have grown together and bonded well. We are ready to be promoted,” noted Okutoyi, who will likely find out her fate regarding her participation at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games this week.
As the reigning African Games champion, Okutoyi could have qualified for Paris 2024 Games by reaching top-400 on deadline day (June 10, 2024), but had limited time to earn crucial points after the African Games held in March this year instead of August last year. She is now depending on an appeal made by Tennis Kenya to the International Tennis Federation last week.
At this year’s Billie Jean King Cup Africa Group III, South Africa are in Pool “A” alongside Zimbabwe, Madagascar and Namibia. Top seeds South Africans were demoted from Europe/Africa Group II last year, while Madagascar gained promotion from Africa Group IV.
Last year’s Group III finalists Tunisia are in Pool “B” together with bronze medalists Kenya as well as Mauritius and Burundi. The last pool brings together Nigeria – the only team to beat Kenya in the 2023 edition – as well as Ghana, Botswana and Uganda.
Pool “A”, “B” and “C” winners will fight for promotion. There will also be ranking matches for second-placed teams from the groups to determine positions four to six, third-placed teams will fight for the next three spots, with fourth-ranked sides battling for the last three places where the last placed team (12th) will be relegated to Africa Group IV.
Pool A
South Africa, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, Namibia
Pool B
Tunisia, Kenya, Mauritius, Burundi
Pool C
Nigeria, Ghana, Botswana, Uganda
