Swiss tennis player Damien Wenger has vowed to defend his Rwanda Open M25 week I glory when he returns to action on Tuesday, September 12, looking to bag more points in the second week of the tournament which is underway at Kigali Ecology Tennis Club since Monday, September 11.
Wenger was crowned champion of first week of Rwanda Open M25 after defeating pre-tournament favourite American Oliver Crawford in the final in two straight sets 6-4 6-2 to claim his first ever M25 tournament.
He also won the men's doubles after he and French Corentin Denolly beat Guy Orly Iradukunda (Burundi) and Abraham Asaba (Ghanaian) 4-6 7-6⁵ 10-5 in the final on Saturday.
Wenger returns to the clay court looking even hungrier for more prizes in the second week of the tournament.
His first test will be against Australian Lawrence Bataljin in Tuesday's round of 32 game.
"I am going to rest, go out and have some fun so that I could return in the second week refreshed. My ambitions remain the same, try to win as many games as I can," the 23-year-old told Times Sport after Sunday's Rwanda Open Week 1 victory.
Drawing inspiration from Federer
Wenger grew up looking up to Swiss tennis great Roger Federer who has won 21 Grand Slams in his career.
Ranked 408th on the ITF world ranking, the youngster said Federer has been his inspiration since he was young.
Besides Rwanda Open M25 trophy that he won in Rwanda, he also won four M15 trophies including three from Slovakia, Netherlands, Spain in 2021 and one title which he won in Montenegro in 2022.
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His dream is to one day play Grand Slam like his idol Federer did.
"In 2018, I had a chance to play with him, it was my best experience. He was my inspiration growing up, of course I have always worked hard to walk into his footsteps," he said.
Wenger is among eight seeded players at Rwanda Open M25 week II, alongside first week finalist Olivier Crawford, semifinalist Corentin Denolly with whom they won the doubles, Eric Vanshelboin, Dev Prajwal, Dylan Salton, Eqbal Ishaque and Burundian Orly Guy Iradukunda.
Rwanda Open used to bring together tennis players from the region but, after adding it to the ITF World Tennis Tour "Futures" calendar, organisers (Rwanda Tennis Federation) opened doors to professional tennis players including Wenger and many others from across the globe as per of making it more competitive.
A host of professional tennis players have not only shown interest but also confirmed their participation in the competition since it gives points to the ATP ranking as well increased prize money.
Three Rwandans get wild cards
During the second week of Rwanda Open, Rwanda was again granted three wild cards as host nation, with Claude Ishimwe coming in for Ernest Habiyambere while Etienne Niyigena and Junior Hakizumwami return after failing to impress during the first week where the three players were all eliminated from the first round.
There were four wild cards up for grabs and the remaining card was given to Zimbabwean Takura Mhwandagara, the only representative for the South African country after countryman Benjamin Lock decided against participating in the second week of the tournament.
