UTA Saves Its Best For Last
Dec 12, 2002
ONE week can turn out to be such a long time.
By Mark Namanya
ONE week can turn out to be such a long time.
Until last Monday, local tennis had struggled to negotiate the rigours of the season after a year of little activity.
For some, the season was threatening to evoke the memories of the uneventful 2001 season.
The new executive took office in May and despite succeeding in the organising a few tournaments, the ultimate event, the Uganda Open where immense expectations lay, fell through.
But the Uganda Tennis Association (UTA) was not to be outdone.
The association huffed and puffed desperately and eventually succeeded in landing sponsorship for the ITF/MTN East African Under-18’s Kampala leg.
MTN sunk sh 18m to the delight of chairman Peter Ntaki.
“We are happy because we requested for sponsorship on short notice but they complied,†Ntaki said, at the press conference on Monday.
Since then, the week has gone from good to better, for both the UTA and the game.
A total of sixteen countries made the Kampala trip and the tournament has moved on quite smoothly.
Quite a good number of the youngsters have exhibited high-class tennis with brilliant rallies, serve and volley tennis and a fierce competitive attitude.
Players like Kigali leg champion Eric Hagenimana, Lawal Sheshu, Cobus Jooste Daniel and Patrick Olobo have shown vast potential.
Ruyange, Olobo and Patrick Ochan were part of the Ugandan team that participated in the Rwanda ITF U-18 leg that commenced on December 2.
That does sound one of those routine trips for any serious administrative body. But just a few months back, Ronald Ssemanda, Janet Namutebi and Ochan did not show up in Khartoum for the U-14 games due to lack of funds. Nearly every official in the tennis association has been marvelling at the tournament’s progress.
“No one is complaining and everything so far has gone according to schedule,†Joseph Kamagara, a UTA committee member told The New Vision.
Elsewhere, emphasis has to be paid the to the young girls whose displays can not be compared with those of their male counterparts, both here and in Rwanda where Jalia Nanfuka reached the last eight.
Hopefully, the ITF season ender can serve as the start of the over due renaissance. Ends
ONE week can turn out to be such a long time.
Until last Monday, local tennis had struggled to negotiate the rigours of the season after a year of little activity.
For some, the season was threatening to evoke the memories of the uneventful 2001 season.
The new executive took office in May and despite succeeding in the organising a few tournaments, the ultimate event, the Uganda Open where immense expectations lay, fell through.
But the Uganda Tennis Association (UTA) was not to be outdone.
The association huffed and puffed desperately and eventually succeeded in landing sponsorship for the ITF/MTN East African Under-18’s Kampala leg.
MTN sunk sh 18m to the delight of chairman Peter Ntaki.
“We are happy because we requested for sponsorship on short notice but they complied,†Ntaki said, at the press conference on Monday.
Since then, the week has gone from good to better, for both the UTA and the game.
A total of sixteen countries made the Kampala trip and the tournament has moved on quite smoothly.
Quite a good number of the youngsters have exhibited high-class tennis with brilliant rallies, serve and volley tennis and a fierce competitive attitude.
Players like Kigali leg champion Eric Hagenimana, Lawal Sheshu, Cobus Jooste Daniel and Patrick Olobo have shown vast potential.
Ruyange, Olobo and Patrick Ochan were part of the Ugandan team that participated in the Rwanda ITF U-18 leg that commenced on December 2.
That does sound one of those routine trips for any serious administrative body. But just a few months back, Ronald Ssemanda, Janet Namutebi and Ochan did not show up in Khartoum for the U-14 games due to lack of funds. Nearly every official in the tennis association has been marvelling at the tournament’s progress.
“No one is complaining and everything so far has gone according to schedule,†Joseph Kamagara, a UTA committee member told The New Vision.
Elsewhere, emphasis has to be paid the to the young girls whose displays can not be compared with those of their male counterparts, both here and in Rwanda where Jalia Nanfuka reached the last eight.
Hopefully, the ITF season ender can serve as the start of the over due renaissance. Ends