As Habiyambere crashes out

ITF Men’s Futures
Main draw (First round)

Yesterday

D. Habiyambere 1-6, 1-6 V. Stanislav (RUS)

FOR now, it is still mission impossible as regards Rwanda posting a player past the second round of the highly competitive ITF Men’s Futures.

This means that Rwanda will have to wait a little longer before dreaming of fielding a player in the quarter-finals of the prestigious tournament after Dieudonné Habiyambere’s humiliating defeat yesterday.

The country’s second seed was no match for his Russian opponent Vovk Stanislav at Laico hotel’s center court as he crashed out  to a 1-6, 1-6 defeat.

The youthful player did not have any chance against the experienced Russian who secured his second round slot in 50 minutes.

Since 2002 when the first edition of the ITF Men’s Futures was hosted in Rwanda, only four players have made it to the second round and they are: Eric Hagenimana, Allan Hakizimana, Eric Uwamahoro and Olivier Nkunda.

Habiyambere echoed the same comments as Jean Claude Gasigwa who also crashed out in the first round on Monday after losing to South Africa’s Ruan Roelofse 1-6, 2-6.
"We did not prepare well for this tournament. That is why our performance has not been good,” the 22-year-old conceded.

Netherlands’ Matwe Middelkoop, who won the event in 2008, is favourite to win this year’s edition after storming through the second round yesterday.

With a hefty in the offing cash package of Rwf 5.65m, the winner will pocket a whooping Rwf 1.07m while the second and third runners up will bag Rwf 670,000 and Rwf 450,000 respectively.

This year’s edition is jointly sponsored by Heineken and the Sports Ministry (Minispoc).

Ends