Tennis Kenya opens new pathway for young stars through France partnership

Tennis Kenya President Tennis Kenya President Wanjiru Mbugua/ HANDOUT

A new chapter in the development of Kenyan tennis has begun after Tennis Kenya launched a landmark partnership with French authorities aimed at nurturing the next generation of tennis stars.

The partnership was unveiled in the southern French city of Istres, where TK president Wanjiru Mbugua-Karani met the newly elected Mayor Robin Prétot to formalise an exchange programme between Istres Sport Tennis Club and Tennis Kenya.

The agreement will allow young players from Kenya and France to train together, compete against each other and gain international exposure through reciprocal visits.

The initiative comes shortly after the African Forward Summit, which strengthened cooperation between France and African nations. Speaking during the launch, Mbuguai described the programme as a major opportunity for Kenyan players, especially juniors seeking international experience.

“It is a great opportunity for our players to be welcomed to this city. The people of Istres have been very gracious, very open and very welcoming,” she said.

The TK boss noted that Kenyan players will benefit from elite coaching programmes and world-class facilities in Istres, where clay courts have helped shape French stars such as Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Gaël Monfils and Richard Gasquet.

Mayor Prétot welcomed the collaboration, saying the partnership would also help French players discover new cultures and strengthen sporting relations between the two countries.

The partnership is expected to focus heavily on youth development, with TK targeting players in the under-12 and under-14 categories.

According to Mbugua, exposing players to international training environments at an early age will help raise Kenya’s standards in the sport.

Earlier during her visit, Mbugua toured the facilities at Istres Sport Tennis Club alongside club director and elite coach Laurent Vigne.

The facility boasts modern artificial clay courts, squash and padel courts, and a massive indoor padel centre linked to French football legend Zinedine Zidane, who comes from the region. The club currently trains about 800 members across different levels, from baby tennis to competitive programmes, while promoting values such as solidarity, discipline and self-improvement.

Mbugua-Karani also revealed that two Kenyan under-16 players, Jeff Okuku and Aum Chandarana, had already trained at the club earlier this year and benefited greatly from the experience.

The partnership is expected to grow even further this weekend when TK meet officials from the French Tennis Federation during the French Open at Roland-Garros in Paris.

A major part of the collaboration will involve knowledge transfer in clay court development, an area Kenya hopes will strengthen its tennis infrastructure and improve player development in the future.