Tennis Kenya, FTF seal landmark partnership to open international pathways

Tennis Kenya has signed a strategic collaboration with the French Tennis Federation (FFT), marking a significant milestone in the development of the sport in the country and creating new opportunities for Kenyan players, coaches and officials on the global stage.

The partnership was officially announced at 254 Racquet Club in Loresho, Nairobi, where the first Kenyan delegation – comprising top under-16 players Jeff Okuku and Aum Chandarana – was flagged off by H.E. Arnord Suquet, Ambassador of France to Kenya. 

The young players will travel to Club East in the south of France to participate in the J200 ITF event and train at a leading academy, with their coach also set to benefit from hands-on clay-court experience and professional development.

Wanjiru Karani, President of Tennis Kenya, described the initiative as a transformative step for the federation.

"This is the reason we do what we do as federations, to make sure we create opportunities for our players, for our coaches, for our officials and this partnership is really just the beginning," Karani said.

 "This initiative covers so many pillars for 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 J200 ITF event."

Ambassador Suquet highlighted the broader diplomatic and developmental significance of the collaboration.

"We are opening a new chapter in our sports diplomacy between France and Kenya," he said.

 "In May, Kenya and France will host the Africa Forwards Summit bringing all heads of state and government from Africa, captains of industry, important people here in Nairobi and we wanna have the conversation about sports because sports is a factor of youth empowerment, it's a factor of partnership between Europe and France and the African continent and so I'm delighted that we have tennis in the list of our sports diplomacy today."

The agreement will see Kenyan players access international training and competition opportunities in France, while technical experts gain exposure to clay-court expertise, including at Roland Garros. Coaches and officials will also benefit from professional development programmes. 

In return, French players, coaches and FFT leadership are expected to visit Kenya later this year for competitions, clinics and exchanges, positioning the country as an emerging hub for international tennis development across Africa.

The partnership aligns with Tennis Kenya's vision of expanding access to high-level competition and coaching, particularly for young talent, and is expected to strengthen the sport's growth at grassroots and elite levels nationwide.