Bonnie Mugabe
9 January 2009
Kigali — RWANDA'S upcoming tennis star Hamis Gatete stormed into the semi finals of the East Africa Junior Tennis Championship yesterday in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The youngster defeated Tanzania's Hamis Hafith 6-3 6-4 to seal his place in this year's African Junior Championship due in Rabat, in Morocco mid April.
Rwanda Tennis Federation Technical Director who doubles as the national head Coach Thierry Ntwali told Times Sport yesterday that Gatete has been on form since the championship started and is tipped to follow in the footsteps of fading national icon Eric Hagenimana.
Gatete who is unbeaten in this championship was the first player to qualify for the African Junior championship. Other Rwandan players vying for the continental nod include Prince Ishimwe, Desire Nkurutse and Gisele Umumararungu who were still on court by press time.
Top five players from the event organized by the International Tennis Federation and Confederation of African Tennis (ITC/CAT) would qualify for the African Junior tournament set for Morocco.
At least 49 junior players from Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Libya, Ethiopia and the host Tanzania are participating in the tournament.
Yesterday
Quarter-finals
H. Gatete (RWA) def. H.Hafith (TZ) 6-3 6-4
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