Thierry Ntwali, the International Tennis Federation's (ITF) Development Officer for Eastern and Central Africa and former Technical Director of the Rwanda Tennis Federation (FRT), has been honored with the International Trailblazer award from the Tennis Black List. ALSO READ: Berry, Chiripal advance as familiar faces return to ITF finals The accolade, presented at the Queen's Club in London, recognises Ntwari's leadership in tennis development on an international scale, particularly in the East and Central African region. Speaking exclusively with Times Sport, talked about what the award means for the development of tennis in East Africa. The growth of tennis in East Africa has been one of the most fulfilling journeys of my life. Every day brings the opportunity to nurture talent, strengthen structures, and support national associations in their mission to make tennis more accessible and sustainable, he noted. ALSO READ: Kelia Kabano: The Rwandan-born kid chasing her dream in professional tennis Seeing young players pick up a racquet for the first time through a Junior Tennis Initiative (JTI) programme, or local coaches and officials gaining confidence through training, reminds me why this work matters. It’s not just about sport; it’s about empowerment, opportunity, and community, he added. East and Central Africa have seen growth in international tennis, now hosting over 31 weeks of ITF Junior events annually. The region has also seen a rise in professional tennis, with four weeks of World Tennis Tour (WTT) M25 and two weeks of WTT M15 men’s events, along with four weeks of W25 women’s tournaments. ALSO READ: Sustaining ATP Challenger success: How Rwanda can become a global tennis stop A major milestone has been the region hosting four weeks of ATP Challenger events, including two Challenger 50 tournaments in Congo and one Challenger 75 and one Challenger 100 in Rwanda, marking a historic and groundbreaking moment for African tennis.
