Kenya’s teenage tennis sensation Melissa Nanjala Mwakha got the national team off to a flying start in the Billie Jean King Cup Africa Group III clash against Tunisia, powering to a 6–1, 6–0 victory over Lina Soussi on Monday morning in Windhoek, Namibia.
The 17-year-old was in total control from the outset, needing just 51 minutes to seal the win in the opening singles match and hand Kenya a 1–0 lead in the best-of-three tie. Mwakha broke Soussi four times in the first set alone, showcasing impressive baseline dominance, sharp returns, and quick footwork that kept her Tunisian opponent under constant pressure.
Kenya now looks to wrap up the tie in the second singles match later this afternoon, where African Games champion Angella Okutoyi is set to face Tunisia’s Mouna Bouzgarrou.
The Billie Jean King Cup, formerly known as the Fed Cup, is the world’s premier women’s team tennis event. The ongoing Group III Africa competition brings together emerging national teams battling for promotion to the more competitive Group II tier.
Kenya, who narrowly missed promotion in last year’s edition held on home soil, are keen to make a statement in Namibia and advance to the next level of international tennis.
Written By Rodney Mbua
