Frenchman Corentin Denolly on Saturday, October 5, advanced to the men’s singles final of Rwanda Open M25 for the second consecutive week after his Dutch rivals Max Houkes abandoned the semifinal match in the second set.

The crowd was witnessing a tough yet thrill match as the pair looked to reach the final of the ITF M25-ranked competition which is reaching its climax at IPRC-Kigali Ecology Tennis Club.

Denolly was ahead 7-6(6), 3-2 before Houkes decided to retire from the match due to an injury he sustained on his leg.

ALSO READ: Peruvian Iamachkine ends Muhire’s Rwanda Open M25 hopes

Denolly, who won the first week of the tournament, will face Maximilian Neuchrist in the final on Sunday at 12:30 p.m. The Austrian secured his final spot after beating Zimbabwe’s Benjamin Lock 6-3, 6-3.

The Frenchman is aiming for his third straight Rwanda Open title, having also won a trophy in 2023.

Meanwhile, Neuchrist already has the doubles prize in his bag after he and Swiss Arthur Laborde overcame Zimbabwean brothers Benjamin Lock and Courtney John Lock in a three-set thriller (6-4, 3-6, 10-4).

They earned $1,550, while the runners-up took home $900.