Frenchman Valentin Royer claimed his first ATP Challenger title in style, defeating Slovakian veteran Andrej Martin 6-1, 6-2 in the Rwanda Challenger 75 final on Saturday, March 1, at IPRC-Kigali Ecology Tennis Courts. Royer, the tournament’s third seed, delivered a near-flawless performance, breaking Martin’s two serves early and maintaining control throughout. The 23-year-old barely faced resistance, using his aggressive baseline play to dismantle his opponent in just over an hour. The win caps off an impressive run for Royer, who stunned former world No. 16 Marco Cecchinato in the semifinals before overpowering Martin in the final. The victory marks a breakthrough moment in his career as he lifts his second career ATP Challenger trophy and the first in 2025. Dutch duo claims doubles crown In the doubles final, Jesper de Jong and Max Houkes emerged victorious, defeating France’s Geoffrey Blancaneaux and Czech Zdenek Kolar 6-3, 7-5 to claim the title. The Dutch pair showcased strong teamwork and composure, securing the championship in straight sets. Their triumph adds to a successful campaign at the Kigali tournament, where they proved to be the most consistent duo throughout the week. Both the singles and doubles champions leave Kigali with crucial ATP ranking points and a strong start to their 2025 season. Eyes now shift to the ATP Challenger 100 which kicks off at IPRC-Kigali Ecology Tennis Club with a qualification round on Sunday, March 2.
