Gasigwa eyes ITF Money Circuit title defense

Rwanda’s top seed Jean Claude Gasigwa is targeting to retain the ITF Money Circuit title he has won since 2010. The regional tennis tournament is scheduled from August 26 to September 1 at Umubano hotel courts. The five-times winner of the annual tournament, Gasigwa, who first won this tournament in 2007, is keen to retain the title he won last year after beating his compatriot Dieudonne Habiyambere 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the final. He also won the title in 2007, 2008, 2011 and 2012. “I am fully fit and ready to defend my title,” Rwanda’s most experienced tennis player told Sunday Sport. The 28-year old Gasigwa added, “Of course, I am training harder because as the defending champion, I need to absolutely ready as everyone will come wanting to beat me.” Rwanda’s pair of Dieudonne Habiyambere and Olivier Nkunda won the doubles’ title last year after beating the pair of Phenyo Matong (Botswana) and Issa Cuma (Burundi) 1-6, 6-2, 10-6. Gisele UMumararungu and Megan Ingabire claimed the women doubles’ title after easily winning 6-2, 6-3 over Kenya’s Caroline Odour and Evelyn Otula.