Ugandan tennis player David Oringa will not keep his eyes off the top honours at the ITF/CAT Prize Money Circuit that started on Monday at the Umubano Hotel courts in Kigali, Rwanda.
The tourney is worth $800 but Oringa has spared a thought for home boys Jean Claude Gasigwa, Mathieus Uwizeyimana, Dieudonne Habiyambere and Kenyan Faizal Khan to be the other top contenders.
“They are tough opponents. I know their strengths and
weaknesses and this gives me a chance to beat them to the title,” he affirmed to Kawowo Sports. “I have trained and done my part, I leave the rest to God.”
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 week-long is sponsored by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and the Ministry of Sports and Culture.
The tournament’s top seed Phenyo Matong of Botswana, Rwanda’s Jean Claude Gasigwa (seed two) and 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 the Rwandan, the country top player 6-3, 6-3 in the semi final of Simba Cement International Open in Dar es Salaam a fortnight ago.
Email: allan@kawowo.com, Twitter: @AllanDarren