Rwanda has sent a contingent of four players to the International Tennis Federation (ITF) East Africa junior circuit, which begins today in Bujumbura, Burundi. Just like last year, Gisele Umumararungu and Kiza Sidawusi make the girl’s team while Mathieu Uwizeyimana and Cekina Niyonshuti complete the side. Uwizeyimana has stepped in for Mele Bizimana, one of the country’s upcoming stars. According to Thierry Ntwali, the technical director of the national Lawn Tennis Association, the players will be chasing for ATP points as they contend with players from Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Rwanda, Slovakia, Madagascar, Zimbabwe, Egypt and Burundi among others in the five-day event. In last year’s Burundi leg, Niyonshuti and Bizimana crushed out in the second round. Niyonshuti lost to Burundi’s Musa Hakizimana 2-6, 1-6 while Bizimana crumbled to a 0-6, 4-6 defeat against Kenya’s Gilbert Kibet. Kiza Sidawusi, the only player to progress past the second round finally crushed out in the third round after a 1-6, 0-6 defeat against South Africa’s Sher Kaylea. En route the third round, Sidawusi had knocked out James Hannah of Great Britain (6-1 6-0) in the first round and Aural Butoyi of Burundi (6-3 6-2) in the second round. From Burundi, the players will proceed to Uganda for the second leg before winding up their tour in Kenya with the third and final leg. Ends
