Rwandas top seed Jean-Claude Gasigwa has ruled out participation in the Zambia Open championship which gets underway today due to financial constraints. Speaking to Saturday Sport, Gasigwa, who was invited to take part by the organisers, the Zambia Tennis Federation, confirmed, “I will not take part in the tournament.”“When you consider how much I need to cover my travel and accommodation expenses, it makes the whole trip quite expensive and it’s for that reason that I decided not to go. However, my focus is on the Airtel Tanzania Open next month,” said the 30-year Rwanda’s top ranked player. Gasigwa’s last competitive appearance was in August when he won the ITF Money Circuit at Umubano hotel in Kigali after seeing off David Oringa of Uganda 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 in a tightly contested game. It was the second trophy of the year for Gasigwa, who turned 30 in July, after winning the Uganda Open in March when he beat his compatriot and Rwanda’s number two, Dieudonne Habiyambere in the final. Unfortunately, he missed the ITF Rwanda 1 Futures with a shoulder injury but has since been training to regain his form ahead of the Aitel Tanzania Open next month.
