Rwandan young tennis player Sonia Tuyishime and Kenyan Lorena Mwangi were crowned champions of the 'International Women's Day Tennis Competition 2023’ that concluded in Kigali on Sunday, March 12.

The one-day tournament was organized by Ingenzi Initiative in collaboration with Rwanda Tennis Federation (RTF), in line with the celebrations of the International Woman’s Day.

The competition was competed in two categories including amateur and professionals.

Kenya’s Mwangi won the amateur trophy after beating Djamila Dusabe 1-0 set while, in professionals, Sonia Tuyishime clinched the title after beating Clenia Niyonshuti 1-0 set.

After winning the tournament, Tuyishime said, "We, as professionals, participate in these games in order to encourage beginners to embrace the sport, that they too can play it at a professional level.”

"I’m very happy to win this cup, the fact that it is played for the first time. I take this opportunity to ask the organizers to put more effort in the next edition to attract more participants,” she added.

Tuyishime is convinced that such kind of tournament helps the athletes and the women society in particular.

"Games like this will help us to be brave and feel that we are also able to play this game. Being a woman can’t prevent you from being a good tennis player,” Tuyishime noted.

Philibert Ndugu, the founder of Ingenzi Initiative that organized the tournament, said that the tournament was specifically aimed at helping young women to be brave and feel that they can also play tennis and bring them to the level of their brothers.

"This competition ends the campaign that we have been working in this week, in order to join women in celebrating their International Day,” said Ndugu

"I chose to begin with Tennis because I realized that there is a bigger imbalance between men and women athletes in Rwanda than in other sports but we plan to extend the initiative to other sports,” he added.

Through his initiative, Ndugu wants to follow the country’s example in prioritizing the principle of gender equality as he targets to promote equality in all levels of sports in Rwanda.

"This is not just about playing, because you see that there is a gap in decision-making positions, here we wish to see the 30% policy to be put into consideration, because most of various sports associations in the country do not respect this principle,” he said.