ITF money circuit tournament starts

Selected fixtures TodayM. Uwizeyimana (Rwa) vs M. Myszkowsk (Fra) 10 AmD. Habiyambere (Rwa) vs J. Mugwaneza (Rwa)THIS year’s edition of the ITF/CAT prize money circuit tennis tournament, which has attracted players from Africa and Europe, gets underway this morning at Umubano Hotel courts.According to the tournament’s director, Fidel Bayama, the 32 players will compete in the main draw event with 16 qualifying for tomorrow’s 1/8th round.The tournament’s top seed Phenyo Matong of Botswana, Rwanda’s Jean Claude Gasigwa (seed two) and Uganda’s David Oringa (seed three) all receive byes into the first round.Gasigwa, who won last year’s edition after he beat Kenya’s Dennis Ochieng 6-2, 6-2 in the final, will be hoping to avoid Uganda’s teenage sensation Oringa.Oringa ousted Rwanda’s top player 6-3, 6-3 in the semi final of Simba Cement International Open in Dar es Salaam a fortnight ago.Rwanda’s Mathieu Uwizeyimana and Dieudonne Habiyambere, who are seeded fourth and fifth, respectively, start their quest for the top prize this morning against France’s Marc Myszkowsk and Janvier Mugwaneza.The draw for the women’s competition will be carried out today, with the country’s top seed Gisele Umumararungu, Megane Ingabire and Oliva Tuyisenge eager to take full advantage of home support.The winners in both categories will walk away with US$800 (about Rwf0.6m) with second-placed winners pocketing UD$550 (about Rwf0.33m).

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ITF money circuit tournament starts