The defending champion of the 2007 Kigali ITF/Futures Circuit Dutchman Matwe Middelkoop will not take part in this year’s edition, local tennis federation has confirmed.

Rwanda Tennis Federation Technical Director Thierry Ntwali told Times Sport yesterday that Middelkoop did not confirm his participation in time a feat that makes him an automatic withdrawal from the tournament that takes centre this weekend.

"Middelkoop was not among the foreign players who confirmed their participation in this year’s event and he hasn’t communicated to us the reasons for his non participation,” Ntwali said.

Ntwali added that he thinks the Dutchman who won three singles and two doubles titles in last year’s edition may have turned his focus to other lucrative ATP competitions.

However, Rwanda’s seed two Jean Claude Gasigwa is a revived man after Middelkoop’s withdrawal.

"He (Middelkoop) was good last year and without his participation this year, we have a chance of proving our worth and be able to give something to the Rwandan public,” Gasigwa said.

Gasigwa who was ejected in the first round of last year’s edition in Kigali hopes to fight hard and reach the finals on home soil in an event which gets underway on Monday at Novotel Hotel.

However, Gasigwa suffered a humiliating shock as he went down two sets in the Bujumbura first leg of the ITF/Futures Circuit last week.

Gasigwa lost to Lithuanian seed two Gvidas Sabeckis in the first round and after a rough exit, he returned immediately to intensive training at Nyarutarama courts in preparation for second leg in Kigali.

The 25-year old player said, "Sabeckis seriously shocked me with his brilliant skills which led to my early exit in the Bujumbura leg. Sabeckis is skilled and with his skills he will win the Bujumbura leg,”

Gasigwa who goes in this leg as Rwanda’s first seed is set to be joined by second seed Dieudonne Habiyambere and third seed Olivier Nkunda in the hunt for US$10,000 cash prize.

The ITF first leg of the Men’s Future which is at a tune of US$10,000 is winding up today in Bujumbura before action start in Kigali on Monday.

Ends