Rwanda, alongside South Africa, has been chosen to host the 2024 ATP 50 Challenger Tour in February, as exclusively disclosed by Times Sport. To prepare for the event, a delegation from the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) is scheduled to conduct a fact-finding mission in Rwanda from December 10-15, as confirmed by Theoneste Karenzi, the president of the Rwanda Tennis Federation (RTF).

The ATP 50 Challenger is one of the four ATP Tour (Challenger) events, alongside Challenger 75, Challenger 100, and Challenger 125. Starting from 2023, the ATP has eliminated the Challenger 90 and 110 categories, reducing the core Challenger categories from six to four.

While the competition typically attracts players ranked between 100 and 200 in the world, Karenzi emphasized that higher-ranked players are not excluded. He explained, “It’s a competition where players seek not only prize money but also ATP points, providing an opportunity for players to enhance their rankings.”

“We anticipate the participation of approximately 65 players, accompanied by their coaches, some accompanied by their parents, and other officials. These individuals will not only contribute to the local economy by spending on hotels but will also explore the country, bringing additional economic benefits,” he explained.

The ATP 50 Challenger is poised to become one of the most significant sports events in Rwanda, comparable to other prestigious events such as the Basketball Africa League (BAL) and Tour du Rwanda (Cycling).

With a prize pool of up to USD 50,000 (equivalent to over Rwf61,700,000), the tournament holds substantial financial appeal.

When questioned about choosing Rwanda and South Africa, Karenzi stated, “Primarily, it’s our infrastructure—our courts meet international standards, coupled with our organizational capabilities and hospitality. The ATP takes these factors into consideration, making the selection a vote of confidence in Rwanda’s competence to host high-profile events.”

In 2023, Rwanda successfully organized numerous prominent tennis events, such as the Billie Jean King Cup in June, Davis Cup Africa Group IV in July, Rwanda Open M25 in September, and two editions of the ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors held in Kigali, from April 24 to May 5 and another from August 14-25.

Karenzi mentioned that the APT has proposed his federation to host the 50 ATP Challenger Tour event based on positive feedback from international players regarding Rwanda’s ability to organize high-profile competitions.

He emphasized that the upcoming fact-finding mission by the ATP delegation next month is not to confirm Rwanda as hosts, as that has already been established. Instead, the purpose is to conduct meetings with relevant stakeholders, including the Ministry of Sports and RDB (Visit Rwanda).

Acknowledging that Rwanda cannot afford to miss this opportunity, the RTF boss highlighted the importance of demonstrating readiness to host the event in February. He expressed concern that if the opportunity is lost and taken elsewhere, it may not be possible to bring it back to Rwanda.

Addressing the absence of Rwandan players in the tournament, Karenzi pointed out that although local players won’t participate, the event provides a significant opportunity for them to witness international players in action, serving as inspiration for their own development.

He explained that the ATP Challenger Tour is where men’s professional tennis begins, with players honing their talents and skills while gaining crucial experience to climb the ATP Rankings. Karenzi cited the example of Carlos Alcaraz, the current World No. 2, who started his career at this level in 2020, entered the top 100 in 2021, and eventually reached the World No. 1 a year later.