The decisive match, held at the IPRC Kigali Ecology Tennis Court, was attended by Paul Kagame and First Lady Jeannette Kagame, alongside several senior officials and tennis stakeholders.

Trungelliti recovered from losing the opening set to secure a 4-6, 6-0, 6-3 victory. Cecchinato initially dominated the contest, taking the first set 6-4 after a closely fought battle. However, the Italian appeared to struggle with a shoulder issue in the second set, allowing Trungelliti to level the match with a commanding 6-0 win.

In the decisive third set, the 36-year-old Argentine showed resilience and composure, overturning an early deficit before sealing the match 6-3 to lift the trophy.

The Rwanda Challenger forms part of the African leg of the ATP Challenger Tour, alongside tournaments held in Abidjan and Brazzaville. The competition brings together professional players seeking ranking points to progress toward the top tiers of international tennis.

This year’s tournament in Kigali featured two separate events: ATP Challenger 75 during the first week and ATP Challenger 100 in the second week. The first event was won by Austria’s Joel Schwärzler, while Trungelliti claimed the top prize in the higher-ranked second competition.

More than 40 players from across the world participated in the Kigali tournaments, including competitors from Europe, Africa, the Americas, and Asia. Several players who recently featured in the Australian Open were also part of the competition.

Rwanda has now hosted the ATP Challenger tournament for the third consecutive year, contin

uing to strengthen its position as an emerging hub for international tennis while providing opportunities for African players to gain valuable ranking points and exposure on the global stage.