Polish tennis players Marcin Andrzejczak beat compatriot Juliusz Stanczyk to win the first week of the ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors tournament that concluded at the Ecology Tennis Club, Kigali over the weekend. Top seed Andrzejczak defeated Stanczyk (2) in straight sets 6-2, 6-0 to claim the first week title. The first week ran from April 22-27. Week 2 gets underway on Monday, April 29 to May 4. Kigali has become a lucky terrain for the Pole who is winning his third consecutive ITF J30 title, having previously won the both weeks of the same competition in 2023. During the 2023 edition, he won the first week after beating Rwanda’s Junior Hakizumwami 6-2, 6-2 before beating countryman and Saturday’s finalist Stanczyk 6-2 6-2 in the week 2 final. This is a tournament for players under 18 years seeking to earn ranking points to propel them into the professional career. The winner takes 30 points from which the title name J30 is derived. The first week tournament attracted 67 players from 24 countries. Hosts Rwanda had the most number of participants (17) including 12 boys and five girls. Rwandan Junior Hakizwumwani, 16, lost in the singles semi-finals against Stanczyk in three sets 7-6(3), 3-6, 6-1, a match that lasted over two hours and a half. Elsewhere, Andrzejczak and finalist Stanczyk put rivalry aside to win the men’s doubles tournament after beating Claude Ishimwe and his Italian partner Alessandro Gatto 6-3, 6-2 in the final. In women’s cateogry, Serbian Stela Dzimovic (3) defeated Belgian Anouk Vandevelde (2) 6-2, 6-3 in the final to win the first week. Dzimovic later teamed up with American Neha Krishnan to win the girls’ doubles after beating Chanova (Czech Republic)/Shanvitha Reddy Nukala (India) 6-3, 6-1 in the final. According to an official of the Rwanda Tennis Federation (RTF), who also is part of the organizing committee, the first week went well and they hope to see the second week be even better. We’ve got to gain enough experience in hosting and organization, the official told Times Sport. This is an annual event and it is within the broader program of bringing international competitions closer to our players because tours are expensive. The countries that are represented in the ongoing ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors tournament include Spain, Poland, Kenya, Belgium, Serbia, India, USA Italy, Philippines, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Israel, Australia, China, Ireland, Burundi, Great Britain, France, Switzerland, Japan, DRC, Ghana, South Africa, Taipei and host nation Rwanda. The ITF J30 tournaments come less than two months after Kigali for the first time hosted the ATP Challenger 50 Tour. Rwanda organized two successive tournaments in two back-to-back weeks. The tournaments attracted over 60 players from over 20 nationalities. The first week was held from February 26 to March 3, while week 2 was from March 4-10. Polish qualifier Kamil Majchrzak won the first week, for his fourth ATP Tour title, whereas Argentine Marco Trungelliti claimed the second week, his third (ATP Challenger) title.
