Rwanda’s top seed takes season’s record to 16-1

KCB TENNIS OPEN
¼ finals
J.C Gasigwa (Rwa) bt   Y. Rawal         (Ken) 6-1, 6-2
D. Mugabe (Ug)      bt   G. Kibet          (Ken) 4-6, 6-2, 6-2
A. Cooper (Ken)      bt   F. Rogoi         (Ken) 6-3, 6-0
M. Dzuwa (Zim)       bt   P. Nyamande (Ken) 6-2, 6-2

Jean-Claude Gasigwa will now take on defending champion Martin Dzuwa of Zimbabwe in the semi-finals of the lucrative KCB Tennis Open.

The country’s tennis ace eased into Friday’s face-off with a 6-1 6-2 victory over the unseeded Yash Rawal of Kenya yesterday. Playing with perfect composure, Gasigwa rambled past the left-hander in less than an hour.

The 26-year-old’s trademark strong serves and soft hands at the net left the Kenyan short of answers. After the win, Gasigwa said that he was very delighted with his day’s performance.

"I didn’t give him many chances and I obviously managed to get into a lot of his service games forcing him to make many mistakes,” he said.

Despite yesterday’s easy victory, Gasigwa expects a much tougher test against Dzuwa, who is by far the most experienced player in the tournament.

"He is a top class player with great experience in such tournaments so it won’t be easy,” Gasigwa conceded.

Top seed Duncan Mugabe is also through to the last four, though he needed over two hours to see off the challenge from Kenya’s Gilbert Kibet.

The Ugandan eventually came through 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 to set up a semi-final clash with home boy Allan Cooper.

Cooper progressed to the semi-finals after seeing off his compatriot Francis Rogoi 6-3, 6-0 in the quarter-finals. Today, tennis action switches to the doubles and mixed doubles events.

In doubles, Gasigwa and Rogoi take on the winning pair between (Gabriel Otu and Yash Rawal) and (Hillary Nyakabao and Jones Jacob) at the quarter-finals.

In the mixed doubles, Gasigwa and Veronica Osogo play the winners between (Omar Fernandez and Hillary Nyakabao) and (Damarius Museca and Kennedy Oduor).

Ends