Mattu Kamara
Thailand based Sierra Leonean lawn tennis youngster, Mattu Kamara has secured qualification to the African Junior Championship (AJC) tournament billed for March 8th to March 18th in South Africa.
The teenager secured her qualification after her successful performance in reaching the U-16 doubles final together with Linda Eloundou of Cameroun at the just-concluded International Tennis Federation (ITF)/African Junior Championship (AJC) qualifiers in Abuja, Nigeria.
Thailand based Sierra Leonean lawn tennis youngster, Mattu Kamara has secured qualification to the African Junior Championship (AJC) tournament billed for March 8th to March 18th in South Africa.
The teenager secured her qualification after her successful performance in reaching the U-16 doubles final together with Linda Eloundou of Cameroun at the just-concluded International Tennis Federation (ITF)/African Junior Championship (AJC) qualifiers in Abuja, Nigeria.
Secretary General of the Sierra Leone Lawn Tennis Association (SLLTA), Yayah Koroma said out of the three players, Mattu Kamara was the only Sierra Leone that was able to secure qualification breath to the AJC.
“We are pleased that Mattu who has returned back to Phuket Academy in Thailand where she is based has successfully qualified for the AJC in South Africa. At the AJC, she will have to compete with players who qualified from East, South and North Africa,” Koroma said adding that a further successful qualification will take her to the Junior Davis Cup.
The SLLTA scribe further revealed that the youngster is now ranked 5th in West/Central Africa in the U-16 category. In the U-12 category, Sierra Leonean male pair Amza Kabba and Joseph S Kamara were ranked 10th &11th respectively in West/Central Africa.
On the male pair performance, Koroma said: “They (Kabba & Joseph) did compete but their category was not for qualification to the AJC. The U-12 players do not play to qualify to the AJC because the AJC is just for U-14 and U-16 categories. However, they competed to gain ranking.”
He added: “We must as an Association, do all we can to continue to encourage our young kids through the Junior Tennis Initiative (JTI) program to compete in international competitions. The JTI program should be the key to open the development door of tennis in Sierra Leone.”
A total of nine countries- Republic of Benin, Cameroon, DR Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Togo, Mali and hosts Nigeria- took part in the International Tennis Federation (ITF)/African Junior Championship (AJC) qualifiers tournament.
“We are pleased that Mattu who has returned back to Phuket Academy in Thailand where she is based has successfully qualified for the AJC in South Africa. At the AJC, she will have to compete with players who qualified from East, South and North Africa,” Koroma said adding that a further successful qualification will take her to the Junior Davis Cup.
The SLLTA scribe further revealed that the youngster is now ranked 5th in West/Central Africa in the U-16 category. In the U-12 category, Sierra Leonean male pair Amza Kabba and Joseph S Kamara were ranked 10th &11th respectively in West/Central Africa.
On the male pair performance, Koroma said: “They (Kabba & Joseph) did compete but their category was not for qualification to the AJC. The U-12 players do not play to qualify to the AJC because the AJC is just for U-14 and U-16 categories. However, they competed to gain ranking.”
He added: “We must as an Association, do all we can to continue to encourage our young kids through the Junior Tennis Initiative (JTI) program to compete in international competitions. The JTI program should be the key to open the development door of tennis in Sierra Leone.”
A total of nine countries- Republic of Benin, Cameroon, DR Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Togo, Mali and hosts Nigeria- took part in the International Tennis Federation (ITF)/African Junior Championship (AJC) qualifiers tournament.
By: Editor
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