Rwandan tennis hopeful Junior Hakizumwami has been offered the ‘Love All Scholarship’ to study and play tennis at renowned Mouratoglou Tennis Academy in France.
The academy is a world-class training center located in Biot, Alpes-Maritimes, France, founded in 1996 by Patrick Mouratoglou, a renowned French tennis coach who coached numerous high-profile players including Serena Williams, Holger Rune, and Grigor Dimitrov.
It is well-known for nurturing up-and-coming tennis talents, offering a robust combination of athletic and academic programs.
Hakizumwami could not hold his excitement when Mouratoglou himself informed him that he was selected to benefit from the prestigious tennis scholarship at his academy.
"I was overjoyed when I learned that I was approved for this scholarship. It is an amazing opportunity for me to grow both academically and as a tennis player,” the 18-year-old told Times Sport.
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The youngster commended his coach for assisting him with the application process.
"My local coach played a crucial role in helping me apply for the scholarship. I owe him,” he said.
Hakizumwami plays for Rwandan tennis team. He was part of the team that participated in the Davis Cup Africa Group IV held in Luanda, Angola in June.
The country was at the time relegated to Group V after finishing at the bottom of the general standings in the competition.
With the scholarship, the tennis prodigy hopes to see himself growing into the game and take his tennis career to the next level.
"As a national team player, going to France will help me train with top-tier athletes and give me the chance to compete in more tournaments with excellent coaches,” he said.
This is the second tennis scholarship that Hakizumwami is offered, having landed another in 2019 to continue his tennis development at the International Tennis Federation (ITF) High-Performance Training Centre in Kenya.
The Love All Scholarship will provide the player with access to world-class training facilities and a highly competitive environment, essential for his development as a professional tennis player.