Rwanda head coach Sylivain Rutikanga couldn’t digest his side’s shock defeat to Togo but he remains convinced that beating Lesotho Tuesday, June 11, would help his women recover in time to stay in race for a top spot of Pool A in the ongoing Billie Jean King Cup 2024 taking place at Kigali Ecology Tennis club.
The hosts threw their chances of winning the opening match of the tournament as they crushed to a 7-6, 5-7, 8-0 late doubles defeat to Togo.
With the game tied to a set apiece in the first two sets, the two teams had to be separated by a decisive third set.
Lia Kaishiki thought she was going to give Rwanda a win on her debut appearance in the country’s colours, only to see her and teammate Olive Tuyisenge surrender their 8-5 lead in the final set to lose it 10-8 at the hands of Ami Diwinga Grace Dougah and Valentine Talaki in a dramatic fashion.
Togo bagged the win in an entertaining 2-1 comeback. They came all way from losing the first singles match, when Kaishiki beat Talaki 6-1,6-2 before Diwinga responded with a convincing 6-1, 6-0 win over Gisele Umumararungu to tie the game and let the doubles decide the winner, with Togo prevailing in the latter stages of the encounter.
"We really had a chance of winning. We were leading the game 8-5; we were on service and I was confident that we would win it. But tennis is game that changes in seconds, we made some small mistakes which cost us the match,” admited Rutikanga after Togo loss.
Coming to the match, Rutikanga thought Togo was a tough opponent, "but they weren’t as tough as I expected. It’s been a bad day for us but I am only taking positives from this loss, that we can beat anyone.”
The coach said his side must beat Lesotho to keep hopes of topping the pool which Cameroon currently lead after beating Lesotho 3-0 thanks mainly to exceptional performances from country’s twins Linda Claire Eloundou Nga and Manuella Pegay Eloundou Nga who won their respective singles matches on identical results 6-0,6-1 against Seapei Senatla and Pulane Florence Nonkatsi.
"We must beat Lesotho just like any of the remaining games. I still hope we can finish at the top of the pool,” he said.
The Billie Jean King Cup attracted 10 countries include Angola, Cameroon, Congo, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Lesotho, Mozambique, Algeria, Tanzania and host nation Rwanda.
The winner will be promoted to the tournament’s Group III.