Africa-Press – Rwanda. A dramatic day at the Rwanda Challenger 75 saw Slovakia’s Andrej Martin and Spaniard Alex Marti Pujolras locked in a tense battle before their match was suspended due to darkness at IPRC-Kigali Ecology Tennis courts.
Andrej took the opening set 6-2, but Pujolras responded by claiming the second set 7-5 to even the match, forcing a decisive third set which will resume on Thursday, February 27, after match umpire Nassim Belazri decided to suspend it due to darkness.
Tied at one set each (6-2, 5-7), the second round match between Andrej Martin and Alex Marti Pajolras has been suspended due to darkness.
It will resume with a decisive set on Thursday at 10AM. #OnTheRise #RwandaChallenger2025 pic.twitter.com/A2b6FLGw22
— Rwanda Challenger (@RWAChallenger) February 26, 2025 “>http://Tied at one set each (6-2, 5-7), the second round match between Andrej Martin and Alex Marti Pajolras has been suspended due to darkness.
It will resume with a decisive set on Thursday at 10AM. #OnTheRise #RwandaChallenger2025 pic.twitter.com/A2b6FLGw22
— Rwanda Challenger (@RWAChallenger) February 26, 2025
The winner of the match will set a quarterfinal date with Frenchman Mattys Erhad who booked the ticket after countryman Luka Pavlovic retired from the game when he was 3-0 down in the third set after tying the match 6-7, 7-6.
One more suspension unfolded in the men’s round of 16 doubles when Alafia Ayeni and Yanki Erel were playing Thijmen Loof/ Paulo Andre Dos Santos. The match could not continue also due to darkness.
Elsewhere, Frenchman Valentin Royer rallied from a set down to stage a 4-6, 6-1, 7-6(4) comeback win over Dutch star Guy Den Ouden while former Roland Garros semifinalist Marco Cecchinato navigated past Carlos Taberner 7-6(6), 7-5 to set a quarterfinal affair with Austrian Lukas Neumayer who ousted Carlos Sanchez Jover in a three-set round of 16 thriller 6-4, 3-6.
Dutchman Max Houkes also progressed into the quarterfinals after seeing off Ivorian Eliakim Coulibaly 7-6(6), 6-3 in the second round. Coulibaly, ranked 337th on ATP, is the only African competing in Rwanda Challenger 2025 where he is participating as the alternative (best loser).
Houkes will face Maximilian Neuchrist who overcame Joel Schwaerzler in two sets 7-6, 6-2 in an Austrian affair. Meanwhile, Filip Cristian Jianu booked his spot in the last eight after a 7-6(5), 6-3 victory over Neil Oberleitner.
With the competition heating up, all eyes will be on Thursday’s action to see who advances in Kigali.
The tournament, which runs until March 2, is part of the ATP Challenger 75 series, featuring a $100,000 prize pool (approximately Rwf 140 million).
Quarterfinals fixtures:
Andrej Martin (SVK) or A. Marti Pujolras (ESP) vs M. Erhard (FRA)
M. Neuchrist (AUT) vs M. Houkes (NED)
F. Jianu (ROU) vs V. Royer (FRA)
L. Neumayer (AUT) vs M. Cecchinato (ITA)
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