Nasejje and Kasada shine in U-14 categories at 2025 Uganda Tennis Open

Josephine Nasejje (girls) and Raymond Kasada (boys) displayed superior skill to claim the Under-14 titles at the 2025 Uganda Tennis Open.

The finals, held on Friday, May 16 at the Lugogo Tennis Courts, thrilled spectators with exciting rallies, powerful serves, and smart returns, as both young champions secured memorable victories.

In the girls' final, Nasejje defeated her teammate Miracle Nabulya 2-0 (6-2, 7-5). Both players train at Kimera Orphanage School in Kibibi, Butambala District.

“This is my biggest win in a major national tournament. I’m so happy to be on TV,” an elated Nasejje said. “During the tournament, I learned a lot—especially about game reading, footwork, and attacking. Miracle is a strong opponent, but I’ve always managed to beat her, even during our training sessions at the academy.”

Josephine Nasejje returning the ball in the final of the U-14 Uganda Open Tennis Final at Lugogo. PHOTO: Silvano Kibuuka

The boys’ final was an all-Tennis For All Academy affair, featuring players from East Kololo Primary School. In a hotly contested mid-day match, Kasada stunned tournament favorite Abbey Damba with a straight-sets victory (6-2, 6-3).

Despite Damba’s strong résumé—including representing Uganda on the national team that won the East African U-14 Championship and competing in ITF junior tournaments in Tanzania and Botswana—it was Kasada who emerged triumphant. The S1 student from Kololo SSS secured his first major career win.

“My goal is to earn a place on the national team,” Kasada said. “I followed the coaches' instructions, used strong shots to the corners, and read the game well. That’s how I managed to beat Damba.”

Alvin Bagaya, tournament organizer and general secretary of the Uganda Tennis Association (UTA), praised the rising standards in the junior categories.

“This year’s matches were much longer—over two hours in each final—which shows increased playing maturity. We even saw some matches go to three sets, proving the level of competition was high across the board,” Bagaya noted.

The U-14 tournament featured 31 boys and 18 girls.

The U-18 category of the 2025 Uganda Tennis Open is currently underway and runs through Sunday. The highly anticipated Pro Open will commence on Monday, May 19.