By Our Reporter,
NATIONAL
Six (6) ladies Sandra Khissa, Judith Nalukwago, Patience Athieno, Evelyn Kiwulwa, Winnie Birungi, and Maggie Flavia Namaganda are taking part in the FED cup trials happening at Tennis complex Lugogo and only four players will be carefully chosen to represent Uganda in North Macedonia on July 4.
It should be noted that ten female tennis players underwent trials to select the four players that would represent the country in group III finals that were to run in June 2020 but were canceled despite the pandemic spread of Coronavirus.
Asked about the criteria of team selection this time round, Odocken said that the team was drawn from the National team, the recently concluded Uganda National Tennis Championships (UNTC) as well as the Junior team.
“We got the girls from our national and junior teams as well as other tournaments that have been played here like Uganda National Tennis Championship where we picked Athieno, Birungi and Khissa,”Odocken stated
According to coach Edward Odocken, they are ready to compete despite the fact that they have started with them from scratch due to the covid-19 pandemic commotions.
“Since the pandemic period we have never had any serious event to keep the girls active apart from the recent concluded Uganda National Tennis Championship which acted as an eye opener for the girls,”
“But above all these girls are born here, they are talented it’s not like they are fresh therefore we got a little task ahead and am sure that after the trials until the tournament date, we shall be ready to strive.”Odocken reasoned
Patience Athieno, who has participated in the FED cup for almost all the time, says she feels more competitive than never before.
“We admit we were somehow affected by the pandemic but it’s time to put it aside and concentrate more and more on the fact that the previous UNTC gave us some good exposure that I know helped us to know where we belong and which areas we need to make improvements.” Athieno stated.
The Fed cup is the premier international team competition in women’s tennis launched in 1963 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the International Tennis Federation.
It is also the world’s largest annual women’s international team sports competition in terms of the number of nations that compete.
Ugandas’ first appearance in the Fed cup in 2018 was a learning process but more was expected when they made their second appearance in 2020 in Vilnius, Lithuania.
This years’ FED cup tournament will be played in North Macedonia on the 4th July
