Gisèle Umumararungu, Rwanda’s former top-seed in women’s tennis, has said that she will be looking to impress in all competitions she will play once the local tennis season restarts in September.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent ban of sports activities, there has been no tennis competition in the country since February and players were not allowed to train until last month.

The last tournament organised this year was the Heroes Cup on February 21-29 at Amahoro Stadium, which was won by Etienne Niyigena and Joseline Umulisa in men’s and women’s singles, respectively.

"I am working hard in training, the fitness and pace is improving. The body is slowly adapting to the demands of daily on-court training after three months of only relying on home workouts,” Umumararungu told Times Sport in an interview earlier this week.

The 24-year-old is currently number two in local female tennis, behind Meganne Ingabire.

As a young and ambitious athlete, Umumararungu picked inspiration from her father, Lucien Hamissi, who retired from competitive tennis in 2005.

"I’m looking to achieve something special when the season resumes in September. I am optimistic that I will be in great shape and form to face and win against anyone.”

Umumararungu made her international debut at the age of nine, in 2004, when she was selected on the Rwandan contingency that competed at the regional ITF Junior Championships in Nairobi, Kenya. She competed in the U-12 girls’ category.

Six years later, she would win gold in the U-16 girls’ category of the 2010 ITF East Africa Junior Championships when Rwanda hosted the event in Kigali.

She had a powerful start to her senior career in 2013 as she edged Kenyan Caroline Oduor to clinch the women’s singles title of the ITF Money Circuit, also held in Kigali.

Umumararungu represented Rwanda at the 2015 All-Africa Games, in Congo-Brazzaville, where she bowed out in the second round in Women’s Singles and quarter-finals in the doubles.