NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 19 — Tennis Kenya has officially signed a strategic partnership with the French Tennis Federation (FFT) to create elite international pathways for Kenyan athletes.
Announced at the 254 Racquet Club in Loresho on Thursday, focuses on player exchange, advanced coaching seminars, and infrastructure development.
The partnership is a major pillar of Kenya-France sports cooperation, aiming to position Nairobi as a premier hub for tennis development in Africa.
The program officially flagged off its first delegation of top 16-and-under junior players, including Aum Chandarana and Jeff Okuku, who are traveling to France for high-level training and competition.
Speaking at the event, French Ambassador to Kenya Arnaud Suquet said,
“This partnership is balanced and reciprocal, exchanging talents. Talents from Kenya will go to France, but young French talents will also come to Kenya. It opens new doors for the practice of tennis in Kenya, but also new doors for the partnership between France and Kenya.”
Supported by the Ministry of Sports and the French Embassy, these athletes will be hosted by Club East to experience European training standards firsthand.
This initiative is designed to bridge the gap between local talent and the professional international circuit.
A key technical component of the deal involves the transition to clay court tennis, with a specialized team of five Kenyan experts traveling to Roland-Garros for a one-week benchmarking mission.
Tennis Kenya president, Wanjii Mbugua, welcomed the partnership, noting that the exchange program will improve Kenya’s tennis performance.
“It is our duty as the federations to make sure we create opportunities for our players, for our coaches, for our officials. This initiative covers so many pillars of Tennis Kenya, and so, today, we are delighted that we are going to see off our top 16 and under players who will go to Club East in the south of France to be able to take part in a J200 ITF event,” Wanjii stated.
These experts will study the construction and maintenance of world-class clay courts to replicate those standards back in Kenya.
Additionally, the agreement provides opportunities for Kenyan umpires to officiate at major French tournaments, further elevating the country’s technical standing in the sport.
By integrating French expertise in coaching and facility management, Tennis Kenya aims to provide sustainable career paths for young players. This collaboration sets the stage for French experts to visit Kenya later in 2026 for reciprocal exchanges and competitions.
