Changawa, Yego back in Kenya Davis Cup team

Kenya’s Davis Cup team is hoping for an immediate return to Africa Zone Group III from the Group IV tournament which serves off Wednesday at the Ecology Tennis Club in Kigali, Rwanda.

The team, which comprises of USA-based duo Kael Shah and Keean Shah, Ibrahim Kibet Yego (Australia) and locally-based Ismael Changawa and Derick Ominde and coach George Oyoo, arrived in Rwanda Sunday.

Africa Group IV will bring together Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria and Rwanda. The draw is on Tuesday where the teams will be divided into two pools of four teams each.

“Morale of the team is high. We are looking forward to our first training session this evening. We are here to qualify to Group III,” Oyoo told Nation Sport from Rwanda.

The top two teams in each group will cross over in promotional play-offs as the bottom two in each group also play in relegation play-offs

The best two teams will gain promotion to Africa Group III, while the last two get demoted to Group V.

Kenya was relegated from Group III in 2022 after losing 2-1 against Benin in relegation play-off in Algeria.

Kenya first played in the Davis Cup in 1974. Its best performance remains reaching the Europe/Africa Zone Group I semi-finals in 1992. Kibet has the most doubles wins (13-10).

Changawa and Kibet make the best doubles team Kenya has had after registering seven wins and a similar number of losses.

Changawa competed at the Davis Cup between 2011 and 2019, while Kibet between 2012 and 2021. They are back after missing last year's edition.

Keean, Kael and Ominde are taking part for the second time after being in the 2022 team.