Rwanda will host the ATP Challenger 75 and ATP Challenger 100, marking an upgrade from last year’s ATP Challenger 50. The tournaments will unfold across two consecutive weeks, with the ATP Challenger 75 running from February 24 to March 1, followed by the ATP Challenger 100 from March 3-9. With an exciting lineup of professional players, Times Sport presents to you five top tennis stars expected to grace the tournaments in Kigali which are sanctioned by the Association of Tennis Professionals. Jesper de Jong Age: 24 Plays: Right-Handed, Two-Handed Backhand The Dutchman reached a career-high ATP singles ranking of No.103 achieved on August 12, 2024. He made headlines at the 2024 Australian Open by qualifying for his first Grand Slam main draw, where he defeated Pedro Cachín in the first round before falling to eventual champion and 2024 ATP year-end No. 1, Jannik Sinner, in the second round. Jesper in the No.1 seed for the Rwanda Challenger 2025 in both week 1 and 2. Marco Trungelliti (Argentina) Age: 35 Plays: Right-Handed, Two-Handed Backhand Trungelliti, 35, is currently ranked No. 143 in the ATP singles rankings, with a career-high ranking of No. 112. He has reached 30 career singles finals, winning 12 titles and finishing as a runner-up 18 times, including a 3–10 record in ATP Challenger Tour finals. His notable milestone came in March 2024 when he won the second week of the ATP Challenger 50 tournament in Kigali, defeating Clément Tabur 6-4, 6-2 in the final. Trungelliti returns to Kigali as No 2 seed for Rwanda Challenger 1 and 2. Benoît Paire Age: 35 Plays: Two-handed backhand At 35 years old, the Frenchman is the oldest participant in the 2025 ATP Challenger in Kigali. He is renowned for his powerful two-handed backhand and unpredictable playing style. Paire reached a career-high singles ranking of No.18 and has won three ATP singles titles—2015 Swedish Open, 2019 Grand Prix Hassan II, and the 2019 Lyon Open. He was named ATP Comeback Player of the Year after recovering from a knee injury, climbing from World No. 118 to his career-best ranking. His standout performances include his biggest win over former world No.3 Stan Wawrinka achieved in Madrid in 2017. He was also able to advance to the fourth round in the Grand Slams on four occasions. However, his career has been marked by inconsistency and controversies, contributing to his current ATP singles ranking of No. 468. He will participate in Rwanda Challenger on a wild card. ALSO READ: What to expect as Rwanda prepares for ATP challenger 75 and 100 Marco Cecchinato Age: 32 Plays: Right-Handed, One-handed backhand The Italian, known for his clay-court expertise, reached a career-high ATP singles ranking of No. 16 and is currently ranked No. 91. Cecchinato claimed three ATP singles titles namely the 2018 Hungarian Open (as a lucky loser), the 2018 Croatia Open, and the 2019 Argentina Open. His biggest career milestone came at the 2018 French Open, also known as Roland Garros, where he reached the semifinals after a stunning quarterfinal victory over Novak Djokovic. ALSO READ: Hosting ATP Challenger 75 and 100: Rwanda must prove past success was no fluke Mikael Ymer Age: 26 Plays: Right-handed, Two-handed backhand The Swede turned professional in 2015 and reached a career-high ATP singles ranking of No. 50. As of February 10, 2025, he is ranked No. 795. Ymer has made notable Grand Slam appearances, reaching the third round at the Australian Open (2021), French Open (2021, 2022), and Wimbledon (2023). In 2021, he became the first Swedish singles finalist since Robin Söderling in 2011, where he defeated former World No 1 and current world No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz. In Winston-Salem in 2021. Ymer will participate at Rwanda Challenger 2025 on a wildcard. Carlos Taberner Age: 27 Plays: Right-Handed, Two-Handed Backhand A Spanish tennis professional, Taberner achieved a career-high ranking of No. 85 in 2022 and currently stands at No.174 in the ATP rankings. Known for his consistency on the ATP Challenger Tour, he has claimed multiple titles, demonstrating his ability to compete and secure victories at this level. Taberner is seeded No3 on the 2025 Rwanda Challenger 1 and 2. Eliakim Coulibaly (Côte d'Ivoire) Age: 22 Plays: Left-Handed, Two-Handed Backhand The 22-year-old Ivorian professional is the only African player among the top professionals competing in Rwanda’s ATP Challenger 75 and ATP Challenger 100 tournaments. He achieved a career-high ATP singles ranking of No. 336 and prefers playing on hard courts. In 2024, Coulibaly participated in the ATP Challenger Tour events in Kigali, marking the tour’s inaugural visit to Rwanda.
