Tanga Cement Open
Yesterday
J.C Gasigwa def. John Njau (TZ) 6-1 6-2

THE duo of Jean Claude Gasigwa and Olivier Nkunda stormed the last eight of the Simba Cement Open yesterday at Gymkhana Club in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Gasigwa had an easy win over homeboy in straight sets John Njau 6-1 6-2 to set up a quarter final clash against another Tanzanian Jacob Lembrisi. That clash is scheduled for this afternoon.

Gasigwa, who is seed number one in the tournament following the absence of defending champion Duncan Mugabe from Uganda is yet to drop a set after cruising past Charles Fred (Tanzania) 6-2 6-0.

Nkunda also reached the last eight without dropping a sweat after his opponent Ramadhan Khalid failed to show up for the clash. He had powered passed Ibrahim Kesi  in three sets 4-6 6-2 6-4 in the first round.

Fresh from winning the second leg of the ITF/CAF money circuit in Kigali, Gasigwa, who turned 28 last month, remains the man to beat for the title.

Already drafted into the All Africa Games team, Gasigwa is using the tournament to fine-tune his game ahead of the Maputo Games where he expects to meet elite players from across the continent.

More than 70 players from Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Sudan, Zambia, Ethiopia and Zimbabwe are competing in the Simba Cement Open.

In 2009, Gasigwa won the tournament while the ladies’ title went to Kenya’s Caroline Oduor.

Ends