Rwanda face elimination from ITF junior circuit

Boys’ Singles1st round Cekina Niyonshuti bt Henry Senyondo 6-0 6-0Melee Bizimana bt Seif Allan 7-6 6-32nd roundMusa Hakizimana bt Cekina Niyonshuti 6-2 6-1Gilbert Kibet bt Melee Bizimana 7-6 6-3Girls’ Singles1st roundLysie Karenzi bt Joanita Namutebi 6-3 6-0Kiza Firaduwusi bt Auzal Butoyi 6-3 3-22nd roundShen Kaylea bt Lysie Karenzi 6-1 6-1Kiza Firaduwusi bt James Hannah 6-1 6-03rd roundSher Kaylea bt Kiza Firaduwusi 6-1 6-0Doubles (boys)Melee Bizimana & Cekina Niyonshuti btHassan Mrisho & Sahu Ndayishikiye 6-3 6-4Today’s fixtureMelee Bizimana & Cekina Niyonshuti v Zaki Abdelrhman & Hudi Rarish The Rwanda national tennis team is facing a big task of winning something at the on-going ITF/ East Africa U-18 tennis circuit being held at Lugogo tennis courts in Uganda.With the second week slated to come to a climax on Thursday, Rwanda team comprised of two boys and two girls is finding it difficult in going past the preliminary stages of the one week event.After a poor show in first week in Burundi, the Rwandan team started off the second week at Lugogo strongly before slumping at the second round phase on Sunday.In the boys’ singles category, 17-year old Cekina Niyonshuti managed to win the first round after defeating Uganda’s Henry Senyondo on 6-0 6-0.Despite winning the first round in a good form, Niyonshuti failed to maintain his form as he lost to Burundi’s Musa Hakizimana seeded 13 in this tournament2-6 1-6. Another Rwandan, Melee Bizimana won his first round tie defeating Egyptian Seif Allan 7-6 6-3 before losing 0-6 4-6 to Kenyan’s Gilbert Kibet. The Kenyan is seeded 6th for the event.In the girls’ category, Lysie Karenzi won the first round by defeating Uganda’s Joanita Namutebi 6-3 6-0 but she went on loss her second roudn tie 1-6 1-6 to Russia’s Shen Kaylea.Kiza Firaduwusi who was the remaining single player hoisting Rwandan flag lost to South Africa star Sher Kaylea 1-6 0-6 in the third round yesterday. Firaduwusi had knocked out James Hannah 6-1 6-0 of Great Britain in the first riund and Aural Butoyi of Burundi 6-3 3-2.Rwanda’s chances of winning something remain the boys’ doubles event. The double combination of Bizimana and Niyonshuti defeated the Burundian pair of Hassan Mrisho and Sahu Ndayishikiye 6-3 6-4 to storm the second round.The Rwandan duo will face the Egyptian pair of Zaki Abdelrhman and Hudi Rarish this morning.The Ugandan leg is sponsored by Brussels Airlines who have offered $10,000(ablout Frw5.4 millions).Zimbabwean star Ndimande Mbonisi won the first week of the ITF/East Africa Circuit which was held in Burundi last week.The third and final week is in Kenya where the Rwandan team is expected to travel on Friday, one day after the Kampala event.Fifteen countries are taking part in the three-week International Tennis Tournament. They include Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Burundi, Slovakia, Madagascar, Zimbabwe, Egypt, Russia, Portugal, Austria, Great Britain and India. Ends

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Rwanda face elimination from ITF junior circuit