Players delighted to compete again as KPTL nears climax

KAMPALA.

The effects of readmitting Uganda Tennis Association (UTA), after a seven year’s ban, to the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and Confederation of African Tennis (CAT) are in full flow.
The positives can be read in terms of the number of activities running concurrently that include but are not limited to the participation of the U-14 and U-16 teams in the Africa Junior Championships qualifiers in Kenya plus the increasing interest in the Kampala Premier Tennis League (KPTL) that will climax Saturday at the Jamal Ramji Centre Court, Lugogo.
“For us it is very motivating to see the game being played seriously once more,” Henry Muyanja – the captain of Trail Blazers in the KPTL, said at the launch of the final playoffs in Lugogo yesterday.
The playoffs of this tournament that includes national, social and junior players will include Titans, Team Kinetic, Trail Blazer and PTC Warriors. The playoffs were preceded by four months of action in which each team played 42 games.
“There is now an opportunity for younger players to gain exposure. Some of us have very good memories playing from this club at a younger age and we are now looking forward to an eventful year,” Muyanja added.
The Playoff clashes will be as big as they can come on the local tennis scene with players like David Oringa, Ronald Ssemanda, Simon Ayella, Viola Akuma and Lawrence Ssempijja among others.
UTA chairman Cedric Babu, pledged his support towards any individual and groups that organize tournaments that can galvanizes the fraternity.
“I would like to commend the promoters of KPTL because it is already a template for other African nations like Mauritius. It is a testament of groups of true tennis lovers putting their passion into the sport and we need more initiatives like these to grow the game,” Babu said.