There is more at stake than just US$300 at this year’s Tusker Malt Uganda Tennis Open. After Duncan Mugabe’s triumph in the Bujumbura leg of the East Africa prize money circuit and Jean Claude Gasigwa last week’s victory in the Kigali leg, the on-going Uganda Open is supposed to prove the ultimate king of lawn tennis in the region.

Gasigwa, seeded third in the Uganda Open is contending with familiar rivals in Uganda’s top seed Duncan Mugabe and Martin Dzuwa from Zimbabwe. After last week’s triumph in Kigali, the country’s top seed knows that he can match their prowess.

"I beat Dzuwa in Kigali so there is no reason why I can’t do it again,” he said.

After brushing aside Bruno Ouma in straight sets (6-2, 6-2) in the first round, Rwanda’s top seed stormed the quarter-finals after a commanding 6-0, 6-1 victory over Emmanuel Odokochen in yesterday’s second round.

Mugabe and Dzuwa also registered easy first round wins.

Mugabe thrashed Dickson Okello 6-1, 6-1 while Dzuwa got his title defence off to a good start with a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Ugandan Dean Kibirige.

The cash prize at stake in the Open is US $550 less than the US$850 cash prize in the East Africa prize money circuit but Gasigwa says that the main essence of playing in the Open is to have more games under his belt.

"With more games comes better technique and consistency so it’s very important that I take part in such competitions,” he said.

Uganda Tennis Open

First round
J.C. Gasigwa bt B. Ouma   6-2, 6-2
D. Mugabe bt D.   Okello   6-1, 6-1
M. Dzuwa bt D.    Kibirige  6-1, 6-0

Ends