Obituary: Cedric Babu Ndilima

The International Tennis Federation is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of one of Uganda's leading tennis figures, Cedric Babu Ndilima, on 31 May 2025, at the age of 45.

Babu's tennis journey began in Kenya in the 1980's before he became one of Uganda’s most heralded junior players, holding the number one national junior ranking, participating in regional junior championships, and representing Uganda in six Davis Cup events in 2005-2008.

Following a successful career playing and coaching, Babu dedicated himself to the development of tennis in Uganda and making the game more accessible to young people. Babu served as General Secretary of the Uganda Tennis Association (UTA) from 2005 to 2008, then as Chair from 2011 to 2022, and introduced the Junior Tennis Initiative as a foundation of the UTA's grassroots programme.

Under Babu's leadership, the UTA navigated a period of instability to establish itself as a key member of the international tennis community, regularly hosting CAT junior tournaments, ITF World Tennis Tour events, and Davis Cup events.

Babu's commitment to tennis is best summarised by his own words in his final report as Chair when he said, “I will always love the sport of tennis, and I will always be a servant to the game that has given me an education and a lot of life experience.” 

The ITF extends its heartfelt condolences to Cedric’s family, friends, and the entire Ugandan tennis community.