The second week of the ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors (J60) in Kigali saw exciting doubles action on Wednesday at the IPRC-Kigali Ecology Tennis Courts, as local and international young tennis talents battled for supremacy in the boys’ and girls’ doubles draws.
Rwandan pair Elyse Igiraneza and Gedeo Murinzi delivered one of the most thrilling performances of the day, overcoming the fourth-seeded duo Kim Kyungone and King Onyx Umuhoza in a closely contested match that ended 6-3, 2-6, [10-7]. It was a hard-fought victory for the home team, who showcased resilience and composure under pressure in the decisive match tiebreak.
The match was a crowd favorite, with fans cheering loudly as the Rwandan team held their nerve to close out the contest. The win sends Igiraneza and Murinzi into the next round and marks a promising start for Rwanda in the doubles competition.
Top Seeds Advance with Ease
In another boys’ doubles match, top seeds Juliusz Stańczyk (Poland) and Eaden-Zack Harron (USA) proved why they are considered favorites, dominating their opponents Patrick Grigore and Evan Saha in straight sets 6-3, 6-1. Their confident performance sent a strong message to the rest of the draw.
Meanwhile, Rwanda’s Edison Nshimiyimana, playing alongside Uganda’s Jonah Ssentongo, earned a well-deserved win over Aarush Gupta and Wesley Shema, with a final score of 7-5, 6-1. The duo is now set to face the third-seeded team of Alexander and Japan’s Kazuki Nakajima, who comfortably beat Mattia Autorino and Tommaso Caucchioli 6-4, 6-1.
Girls’ Doubles: Mixed Results for Team Rwanda
In the girls’ doubles category, Chrissa Sheja Mugabo of Rwanda teamed up with Uganda’s Macrina Nimaro Ennema, advancing to the second round via a walkover after their opponents withdrew.
Top-seeded duo Jannat Chiripal (India) and Liu Xiang (China) also progressed without taking to the court, benefiting from a similar withdrawal. Liu Xiang is coming off a dominant singles title win in the first week of the tournament and is looking to add a doubles title to her name.
Chiripal and Xiang will now face Nandini Kansal and Eden Manor, who secured a solid 6-2, 6-3 victory against Mariya Patel and Santra Prerana.
On a less fortunate note for Team Rwanda, Thierrine Ineza and Chantal Niyimbabazi were eliminated by Deniz Cakil and Aurelia Zaffuto in a straight-sets defeat: 6-0, 6-3. Cakil and Zaffuto will next meet the third-seeded Czech sisters Lucia and Veronik Koutova in the quarterfinals.
Singles Matches Resume: Big Names Return to the CourtWith the doubles matches taking center stage on Tuesday, the singles draw resumes on Wednesday, August 13, featuring several high-stakes matchups.
In the boys’ singles:
Juliusz Stańczyk is set to take on Mattia Autorino in what is expected to be a high-tempo match.
Reigning champion Kazuki Nakajima (Japan) faces a formidable challenge in Ziheng Wang of China, both considered top global junior prospects.In the girls’ singles:Top seed Jannat Chiripal will play against BelyakovaSecond seed Dvir faces off with Nandini Kansal, who has already shown great form in the doubles bracket.
Hope and Momentum for Rwandan Tennis
The performances of Rwandan juniors such as Igiraneza, Murinzi, Nshimiyimana, and Mugabo are fueling optimism about the development of tennis in the country. Their ability to compete with and defeat high-ranking international opponents highlights the growing talent pipeline in Rwanda’s junior tennis programs.
As the second round continues and the tournament moves closer to the finals, fans can expect more riveting action and perhaps more surprises from local players determined to make their mark on home soil.
The Kigali leg of the ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors has already begun to establish itself as a critical platform for showcasing Africa’s rising tennis stars, while also giving international players the opportunity to earn valuable ranking points in a competitive but welcoming environment.
