Etienne Niyigena and Claude Ishimwe will represent Rwanda at the ATP Challenger 75 and 100 tournaments taking place in Kigali from February 25th to March 9th. They will compete in the qualifying rounds at the IPRC-Kigali Ecology Tennis Club on Sunday, February 23. Both players earned their spots after outstanding performances at the National Ranking Championship in January 2025. Niyigena won the tournament, defeating Ishimwe in the final (7-5, 4-6, 3-6). Times Sport has learned that no Rwandan player currently has the ATP ranking points necessary for direct entry into the tournament. However, the top two players from the national tournament were given the opportunity to participate in the qualifying stages. ALSO READ: Seven top players to watch at Rwanda Challenger 2025 Since the national tennis tournament began last year, Niyigena has won four of the six editions of the National Ranking Championship, while Ishimwe has won the other two. Both the ATP Challenger 75 and 100 tournaments will feature a 32-player draw each week. The draw will consist of 21 direct acceptances (players who qualify based on their rankings), three wild cards, six qualifiers, and two special exempts. With a combined prize pool of $175,000 (approximately Rwf 244 million), the tournaments are expected to attract a mix of seasoned professionals and rising talents competing for valuable ATP ranking points.
