Women Singles finalO. Nacy (DRC) bt S. Changawa (KEN) 3-6, 7-5, 6-0

MenD. Indondo (DRC) bt D. Mugabe (UG) 6-3, 6-2

Democratic Republic of Congo’s Nancy Onya beat Kenya’s Shufa Changawa in three sets in the final to win the 2016 Rwanda Tennis Open women title on Sunday at Amahoro National Stadium outdoor tennis courts in Remera, Kigali.

Meanwhile, Onya’s compatriot Denis Indondo easily overcame Uganda’s Duncan Mugabe to claim men’s singles title. Indondo, the reigning African champion, won in straight sets 6-3, 6-3 to walk away with the trophy and US$1000 in prize money. 

"I am very happy to have won this competition, Mugabe is a good player and beating him is a great feeling,” said Indondo.

In an interview, Mugabe, he said: "First of all, I would like to congratulate Indondo, he played well and deserved to win, I have suffered from low game intensity due to a hamstring injury which I have been carrying for the past two months.”

The thrilling final between the best female players in the tournament, lasted for two hours and forty five minutes. The winner walked away with a trophy and US$750 prize money.

Kenya’s number one Changawa displayed stunning skills to claim the first set 6-3 but failed to capitalise on that momentum losing the second set 5-7 as Onya upped her game which gave her the upper hand in the deciding set, which she won easily 6-0. 

Onya said of her win, "I am very excited to win this competition, in the first set, I was a bit inconsistent but thank God I managed to come back and consequently won, I must thank Rwanda Tennis Federation for giving us a good platform to showcase our talents.”

The one-week long tournament attracted 32 players in the women singles category.

En-route to the final and eventually the title, Onya defeated Rwanda’s number one Meganne Ingabire in the semi-finals on Friday, while Rwanda’s number two Gisele Umumararungu was bundled out in the quarter-finals at the hands of Changawa.

Altogether, the third edition of Rwanda Open attracted a total of 161 players from Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, DR Congo, Burundi and hosts Rwanda. It was sponsored Rwanda Tennis Federation and the Ministry of Sports and Culture. 

Uganda’s number one Mugabe reached the final after overcoming DR Congo’s Surma Nkulufa 7-5, 6-3 while Indondo knocked out Kenya’s number two Ibrahim Kibet. Indondo beat Kibet 7-6, 6-4.

Meanwhile, in the doubles category that concluded on Friday, Indondo and Nkulufa, from DR Congo, won the US$300 prize money after beating Rwanda’s pair of Olivier Havugimana and Dieudonne Habiyambere 6-2, 6-3.

In the women’s fray, Changawa and Nancy defeated Ingabire and Gisele Umumararungu 6-3, 6-3, to pocket US$300.

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