Rwanda started the Davis Cup Africa Group IV campaign on a perfect note after beating Mozambique in Group B opening matches of the competition which opened in Kigali on Wednesday, July 26.
READ ALSO: Rwanda face Mozambique in Davis Cup Africa Group IV opener
The hosts played two games in singles and a doubles, both of which they won in style to leave cheering home supporters at Kigali Ecology Tennis Club in adulation.
Ernest Habiyambere comfortably beat Mozambican Ricardo Jorge Jacinto 6-0, 6-0 in the second game of the day to secure a victory for Rwanda shortly after youngster Junior Hakizumwami came from a set down to beat Mozambican Edilson Rosa 2-1 (4-6 6-4 6-0) in the first game of men singles.
Hakizumwami, 17, who is making his Davis Cup appearance had a slow start to the competition, lost the first set 6-4 before foughting back to win two straight sets 6-4 6-0 to complete a comeback over Rosa.
ALSO READ: Meet Rwandan players for 2023 Davis Cup Africa Group IV
Rwanda coach Dieudonnee Habiambere had to introduce Joshua Muhire to replace Habiyambere in the doubles. Muhire teamed up with Etienne Niyigena to beat Luca Figueiredo and Jaime Sigauque 6-4 6-2 to finish the day unbeaten.
Elsewhere in Group B, Nigerian Wilson Oswalele Igbinovia beat 2-0 Angolan Fernando Andre while in Group A, Ghanian Isaac Nortey defeated Kenyan Kael Shalin Shah 2-1 (6-3 3-6 6-4) while Cameroonian Blaise Nkwenti beat Botswanan Esi Molefe 2-0 (6-3 6-2).
A total of eight teams from different parts of Africa namely Angola, Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Botswana, Mozambique, Cameroon and hosts Rwanda are taking part in the tournament.
The teams that will come out on top of each of the two groups will face off in the final and get automatic promotion to Group III.
Second-placed teams will play in the 3 and 4 classification match while teams that will finish third in Groups A and B will meet in the 5th and 6th place classification match.
The bottom sides will also face off in the 7th and 8th places and will immediately be relegated to Africa Group V.