Rwanda’s women national tennis team coach Sylivain Rutikanga has named his final squad of six players who will represent the country at the upcoming Billie Jean King Cup Africa Group IV tournament which will take place in Kigali from June 10-15. ALSO READ: BJK Cup: Madagascar crowned 2023 Africa Group IV champions The six Rwandan representatives at the tournament, which is exclusively for women, include Olive Tuyisenge, Gisele Umumararungu, Sonia Tuyishime, Simbi Opherie, Dubai-based Lia Kaishiki, and Carine Nishimwe who currently plays tennis in Canada. Kaishiki, Simbi and Nishime will be making their debut in the Billie Jean King while Tuyisenge, Umumararungu and Tuyishime return to the squad after failing to impress during the previous edition. Besides host nation Rwanda, other participating countries include Angola, Cameroon, Congo, DRC, Ethiopia, Lesotho, Mozambique, Algeria, and Tanzania. Madagascar won the 2023 Billie Jean King Cup Africa Group IV defeating Tanzania in the final held at the Kigali Ecology Tennis Club and qualified in Group III. Rwanda finished fourth, just behind Cameroon, who claimed the bronze. Meanwhile, Senegal and Seychelles had confirmed their participation until they withdrew from the competition a week ago. The tournament is named after Billie Jean King, the American former world No. 1 professional tennis player who boasts 39 Grand Slam titles, including 12 in singles, 16 in women's doubles, and 11 in mixed doubles.
