Birungi offers glimpse into future as Titans notch KPTL

KAMPALA- The house wasn’t full at the Lugogo as Team Titans rallied to win the inaugural Kampala Premier Tennis League (KPTL) on January 20. But there was sense of belonging for the fraternity as the players basked in glory.

With free entrance guaranteed, the good crowd that turned up left with more than just smiles after Titans overpowered Team Kinetic 2-1 in the finals.

Former Rwandan international Olivier Nkunda started their march to the title by humbling ex-Ugandan star Godfrey Uzungu 8-4 in the men’s singles.

Uganda’s second seed David Oringa and De Mark levelled the match for Kinetic with an 8-5 triumph over Titans’ captain Moses Bashaasha and Simon Ayella in the men’s doubles.

But the Titans never buckled in. Led by teenager Winnie Birungi and Ayella, they bounced back to whitewash Kinetic’s Oringa and Viola Akuma 8-3 in the mixed doubles to edge the contest 2-1.

Birungi, in particular, was a thorn in the flesh of the opposition as she won literally all her rallies and managed to outsmart the older Akuma.

“I want to continue playing well because I don’t want to disappoint my coaches,” said the P.7 vacist, who is fresh from the Confederation of African Tennis (CAT) U-14 Championship in Nairobi, Kenya where she reached the quarterfinals and semifinals stage in the singles and doubles respectively.

“I was very consistent this season and I believe I have been given this award because I am the female that won most games.”

Simon Peter Lwanjo, one of the KPTL organisers disclosed that the next season would start in mid March to keep the players active whereas the partners including City Oil, NBS TV, Kwese Sports and Movit promised to facilitate more tennis programmes this year.

KAMPALA PREMIER LEAGUE
Result - Final
Titans 2-1 Kinetic
Third place play
Trail Blazers 0-1 PTC Warriors
Semifinal playoffs
Titans 2-1 PTC Warriors
Trail Blazers 1-2 Kinetic
Best Female Player
Winnie Birungi of Team Titans

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