The inaugural Gasigwa Memorial tennis tournament kicks-off this morning and will run through to March 27 at Kigali Sports Center (CSK) courts.

Organized in memory of former Rwanda number one Jean Claude Gasigwa, the week-long tournament has attracted more than 120 players (Pro and amateurs) from five countries namely Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda.

Apart from hosts Rwanda, Uganda has the second biggest turn up with 9 players, DRC will be represented by five, and Burundi has 2 players while Tanzania has one representative in the multi-category competition.

According to Valens Habimana, the secretary general of Rwanda Tennis Federation (RTF), the men’s professional category has 32 players, the women’s Pro category will be contested by 16 players, and men’s singles in amateurs’ category has 32 players and 64 in the doubles.

Uganda’s top seed Duncan Mugabe and number two David Oringa are among the high profile names in the tournament. The Rwandan roster contains the likes of Dieudonne Habiyambere, Olivier Havugimana and Matheiu Uwizeyimana among others.

Gasigwa died suddenly on January 8, 2015 after collapsing during a morning training session at Cercle Sportif de Kigali, his death shocked not only the local tennis fraternity but the entire nation and the region at large.

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