Tennis: Kenya retain Group IV status after relegation scare

Kenya's national tennis team survived the relegation playoffs on Saturday at the Nairobi Club in Kenya’s capital city by defeating Mozambique 3-0, a result that confirmed their place in the Davis Cup Africa Group IV for next year.

On Friday, Kenya lost 2-1 to Ghana, with Kael Shah winning his singles match 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 against Ghana’s Abraham Asaba, while Ismael Changawa fell to Samuel Agbesi Osei 7-6, 6-1.

In the doubles match, the Kenyan pair of Kael Shah and Zayyan Virani lost to Abraham Asaba and Samuel Agbesi Osei in straight sets, 6-4, 7-6. Those performances placed Kenya third in Group A standings, with only a set making the difference, pushing the team into Saturday’s survival playoffs as they fought to retain their Group IV status.

“We have a lot of work going on this year with this new team. We are actually in a rebuilding phase for the national side and, as you know, it might take some time to get there, but eventually we will manage to achieve our objectives,” team head coach Rosemary Owino told the media.

On Saturday, Kenya’s survival bid was spearheaded by Liberty Kibue, who won the opening singles match 6-0, 6-1 against Rui Costa Tembe.

Kael Shah then defeated Luca Santiago De Sousa Figueiredo 6-2, 6-2 before Liberty Kibue partnered with Zayyan Virani to secure a 6-4, 7-6 doubles victory over Luca Santiago De Sousa Figueiredo and Eric Patrick Sigauque.

The result means Kenya will remain in Group IV, with the players highly motivated ahead of next year’s Davis Cup campaign.

Algeria and Ghana earned promotion to Davis Cup Africa Group III, while Mozambique and DR Congo were relegated to Group V.