PHOTOS: Inside efforts to prepare future tennis champions in Rwanda

Former Rwanda tennis number one Joselyn Umulisa founded Tennis Rwanda Children’s Foundation (TRCF) in 2022 with an ambitious goal to contribute to the development of the sport in Rwanda. Through the initiative, the seven-time national tennis champion is striving to harness the skills of young Rwandan tennis players. “My vision is to increase the number of skilled tennis players in the country, especially girls, as they are still few. I plan on retiring, but I want to ensure that there are suitable players to take up the mantle and represent the country before I move on,” Umulisa told Times Sport. TRCF recently hosted the Future Tennis Champions tournament from August 26-31, bringing together over 150 Rwandan youth with the support of South African investor Kreseten Buch. The youth tournament drew players from across Rwanda, including Kigali, Southern and Eastern Provinces, as well as neighboring refugee camps such as Mahama. ALSO READ : ‘Future Champions’ tourney paves way for tennis hopefuls “Having these tournaments gives us the opportunity to evaluate the growth of our players and spot potential national representatives for future competitions. They also allow the players a chance to do what they love—play tennis,” Umulisa explained. The tournament was played on a knockout basis. In the under 16 girls’ category, Melissa Bimenyimana emerged victorious winning 4-1, 4-2 in a tight tie breaker that concluded 12-10. Bimenyimana emphasized the importance of young female tennis players having confidence in themselves and taking away values from playing tennis. “I started playing tennis when I was three, with my dad as my coach,” she recalls. “One of the biggest challenges for me has been self-confidence. There were moments in the match when I lost hope but I pushed through. I 'm sure my dad is proud of watching me win, especially since it is my last year in under 16. “My advice to other young female players is to have confidence in themselves in all circumstances,” she added. Melissa’s father, Eric Bimenyimana is a tennis coach who has for long contributed to the development of young players through local tournaments. He envisions a bright future for Rwandan tennis, saying, “In the next 5 to 10 years, I hope to have more young Rwandan players at national and regional levels.” With the current tournaments being played and hosted in Rwanda, from Billie Jean King to Davis Cup, I believe we are setting up our kids for success by exposing them to competitive realities that are helping them develop visions,” he added. Umulisa shares a similar perspective and said, “As we expand our tennis academy, what we have come to realize is that any kid, from anywhere, can be a tennis player.” “Once they are provided with a tennis racket and tennis ball, regardless of where they are from, they can hold a racket and start learning how to play tennis,” she shared. According to Umulisa, one of the biggest challenges facing youth tennis development down the road was acclimating players from more rural areas who had never played on a tennis court. “Some of our players, such as those who had come from refugee camps, had never played on, or even seen proper courts. We had to teach them where to stand when serving and receiving the ball. Still, many of them proved to be some of the best players in the tournament, making it to the semifinals and finals of the tournament,” she said. Having experienced the challenges of growing up with limited opportunities, Umulisa understands the challenges and is committed to nurturing future Rwandan tennis talents from all backgrounds. As she approaches retirement, she is determined to leave behind a strong foundation of players who can represent the country on a global stage. By hosting global tournaments and international players for competitions, the Rwandan tennis industry continues to make significant strides in producing young players with opportunities to participate in tournaments on a global scale. These initiatives also serve as a major source of inspiration for the next generation of Rwandan tennis players.

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PHOTOS: Inside efforts to prepare future tennis champions in Rwanda