APR wins inaugural memorial Tennis tourney

Sunday: Final APR beat Kanombe 6-4, 6-4 Rwanda Tennis Federation over the weekend organised the inaugural memorial tournament at the Kigali Sports Centre in Rugunga to commemorate the players, officials and fans who were killed during the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi. The first edition attracted a total of 32 amateur teams from all parts of the country and APR tennis club emerged the tournament winners after beating Kanombe in the final in straight sets 6-4, 6-4. APR’s doubles team was made up of former Ferwafa president Major General Jean Bosco Kazura and Kamanzi Bayama, while Kanombe team was made up of Eric Kariningufu and Jean Piere Munyampeta. Rwanda tennis federation’s technical director, Fidel Kamanzi told Times Sport, “This is the inaugural tournament and we have plans for it to become an annual event.” “We have so far identified up to ten (tennis) people that were killed in the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi and we ought to remember them no matter how small or big the number,” he stated. Kamanzi noted that, for the start, the organisers decided to go for amateur teams but in the coming years, they intend to expand to include the professionals and the ladies’ categories. Among the victims so far identified include; Gaston Kanyamahanga and Fidel Rutayisire (both coaches at Cercle Sportif de Kigali), Jean de Dieu Bayingana, Emmanuel Nyirarucyaba and Nyamunyura.