Uganda’s most prestigious tennis tournament on the Uganda Tennis Association the Uganda Open Tennis Championship from November 2-7 was this morning launched at Lugogo Club which is bigger and better with participants from the East and Central region expected to take part.
Uganda’s top tennis Male and Female tennis players will have $800(sh2.9m) and $600(sh2.1m) together with the foreign players if they win the Men’s and Singles finals.
Rwanda’s Jean Claude Gasigwa(RIP), won the last Uganda Open in 2013. Duncan Mugabe is expected to be seeded as the top seed with David Oringa, winner of the 2012, seeded number two.
Foreign participants from Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Congo and Zambia expected in this tournament that has nine sponsors commiting to the event with Kinectic Management running the tournament.
“This year’s event is going to be bigger and better with participants from DR Congo, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Kenya, Burundi, Tanzania and Uganda that alone has drawn a number of Corporate sponsors joining this year’s event,” Cedric Babu, the Uganda Tennis Association President said at the launch of the prestigious tournament.
“We expect a draw of 64 men in the Main draw and 32 for the Ladies draw however this time around we shall have mixed doubles the tournament director will have too decide if we would have enough players to play doubles in the men’s category.”
Participants will have to pay 20,000 to play in two events in the week long tournament Uganda Tennis Association administrator John Kasule, is the tournament director while Tennis legend John Oduke, is the tournament referee while the chief umpire with be Patrick Luyinda.
Uganda Tennis Open Prize Money
Winner Men Singles $800
Winner Ladies Singles $600
R-up Men Singles $400
R-up Ladies Singles $300
Semi Finalists Men(2)$400
Semi Finalists Ladies(2)$300
Round of 16(Men)(8)$400
Quarterfinalists Women(4)$300
Mixed Doubles
Winner $500
R-up$300
Semi Finalists$300