Habiyambere, Ingabire win Liberation Day tennis tourney

Dieudonne Habiyambere and Mégane Ingabire won the men and women’s singles professional category titles of the fifth edition of Liberation day tennis tournament after triumphing in their respective finals played on Thursday at Amahoro stadium courts.

Saturday, July 06, 2013
Dieudonnu00e9 Habiyambere. Saturday Sport / File.

Dieudonne Habiyambere and Mégane Ingabire won the men and women’s singles professional category titles of the fifth edition of Liberation day tennis tournament after triumphing in their respective finals played on Thursday at Amahoro stadium courts.Apart from the men and women’s professional categories, there was also the amateurs’ men’s singles and doubles categories in the four-day tournament.Habiyambere easily beat third seed Olivier Nkunda in straight sets 6-0, 6-3 to win the title. He saw off Mubarak Harerimana in the semis, while Nkunda beat Hamis Gatete.In women’s singles pro category, Ingabire won in three sets 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 over the defending champion Gisele Umumararungu. The singles amateurs’ category was claimed by APR’s Kamanzi Bayama after his opponent Aimable Mugarura pulled out when down 5-2 in the first set due to an injury.Last year’s champion in the professionals’ men’s category and top-seed Jean-Claude Gasigwa was surprisingly eliminated in quarter-finals by Hamis Gatete.The winners in both professionals’ categories walked away with Rwf 100, 000, runners-up pocketed Rwf 60, 000, while semifinalists were given Rwf30, 000. The amateurs’ winners were awarded recognition trophies and tennis balls.The tournament is sponsored by Rwanda Development Bank (RDB) since the inaugural edition in 2009.