Eighth seed Dev Javia will face top seed Max Houkes in the final of the second week of the ongoing Rwanda Open on Sunday at the RP Kigali/Kicukiro Ecology Tennis Court. The Indian secured his place in his first final in Kigali after defeating fourth seed and three-time Rwanda Open winner Corentin Denolly in straight sets, 6-3, 7-6(5), in a semifinal that lasted one hour and 30 minutes. The match was briefly interrupted by rain, but the delay did little to disrupt Javia’s momentum. He made a strong start, taking the opening set 6-3 to put Denolly under pressure. The Frenchman responded with greater resistance in the second set, matching Javia’s intensity as both players battled for control. Denolly forced a tie-break, raising hopes of taking the match into a deciding set. However, Javia held his nerve at the crucial moment, winning the tie-break 7-5 to seal his place in the final. In the other semifinal, top seed Houkes recovered from losing the opening set to defeat Frenchman Calvin Hemery 4-6, 6-2, 6-2. Hemery took the first set 6-4, keeping alive his hopes of securing back-to-back M25 titles in Kigali. However, Houkes raised his level in the second set, capitalising on his opponent’s struggles to win 6-2 and force a decider. The Dutchman maintained his momentum in the final set, controlling the exchanges and limiting Hemery’s opportunities. He again prevailed 6-2 to complete the comeback and book his place in the final. Houkes will now return to the Rwanda Open final aiming to claim his second title in Kigali after lifting his first in 2025. He faces a determined Javia, who will be looking to cap an impressive week with his maiden title in the Rwandan capital. Final — Sunday, October 11 12:00PM: Max Houkes (1) vs Dev Javia (8)
