3 June 2011 Hassan Gets His First Chance At Wimbledon

Hassan at the AJC zonals in Kenya last year, with compatriot Amadi Kagoma of Sadili, where they took the doubles and the boys top award for Burundi

Sadili Oval former player, Hassan Ndayashimiye, will bring the little tennis programme to the forefront this month, when he plays qualifiers at the coming Wimbledon Grand Slam in England. Many Kenyans will remember how he scillintated the tennis scene between 2004 and 2007.

Hassan was born on 12th August 1994, the son of a hitter at a local tennis club in Bujumbura. Hassan started to play early in life, finding solace from the slums, where there was very little happening, and earning some little money each day from picking balls and later hitting with senior members, and taking home to his mother to help out with daily survival. Everyone knew Hassan for his spritely and sunny personality, and he quicky became loved by members and visitors alike. It was this that got him noticed by Kassie McIlvaine, who was working with CARE are Country Director. Hassan was only 8 years old at the time, and already she could see his talent, and knew that he could go far with the right help and change of circumstances. In fact, Kassie often joked with Hassan about , "When you get to Wimbledon...."
In 2003, An ITF East and Central Africa event was held in Bujumbura, and Kassie, always an avid tennis fan, went out to watch. There she met a couple of tennis players from Kenya. She admired their game, and got talking to them about places to play and study in Kenya. She finally made up her mind to bring Hassan to Dr. Liz Odera at Sadili Oval and the adjoining Malezi School, after chatting with Martin Dzuwa, who won an ITF Money Circuit later that year. Hassan's first comment when he landed in JKIA and met Dr. Liz was, "now this is my home, I am going to live here, and I am going to beat everybody in tennis, even the biggest and the best". And indeed, after a painful beginning in which he struggled to adjust his strokes, grow a little stronger (Kassie placed an order for extra milk every day), and stay committed to serious training, Hassan went on to humble many unfortunate local players from under 12 to under 16 years. Hassan stayed at Sadili for four years before returning home, performing well at an ITF U14 event, and qualifying for a place at the ITF Centre in Pretoria, where he has worked under the watchful eye of Dermott Sweeney and Margaret Owen.
His performance continued to improve, playing regional tournaments for his country (AJC, each year, with his compatriot Amadi Kagoma, who is now at Sadili Oval Talent Training Academy), and in the European Circuit. Last month, he reached a record high of 113 ITF rank, making him the two top East African to reach this level in the last 20 years, the other being Vitulli of Kenya, who is now a student at Georgia State University in the USA. Kassie's belief in Hassan has come true, and, while ITF provides for his schooling, training and tournaments, she continues to work hard to support Hassan, treating him as her own son, following his progress closely, buying him racquets, kit and sometimes arranging for his transportation when it is not available. His former coach and mentor, Liz Odera and his close friends in Sadili provide him with important moral support and advise, firmly believing that Hassan will make it in the end.

WIN - LOSS	Win	Loss
Current Year Singles	8	8
Current Year Doubles	9	7
Career Singles	59	26
Career Doubles	43	24

SINGLES RESULTS FOR HASSAN NDAYASHIMIYE (BURUNDI)
33rd Torneo Internazionale "Citta' Di Santa Croce" Mauro Sabatini				Italy
	09 May 2011 to 15 May 2011		Entry: DA	Clay (O)
64	Won first round	Matias SBOROWITZ (CHI)		6-3 6-2
32	Won second round	Patrik FABIAN (SVK)		6-3 7-6(4)
16	Lost 3rd round	Karim HOSSAM (EGY)		4-6 3-6
19th International Junior Tournament Citta' Di Prato				Italy
	03 May 2011 to 08 May 2011		Entry: DA	Clay (O)
64	B	()		BYE
32	Won second round	Tendai TAPFUMA (ZIM)		6-4 7-5
16	Won 3rd round	Jens HAUSER (SUI)		6-1 6-4
QF	Won quarterfinals	Jan ZEDNIK (CZE)		6-4 3-6 6-2
SF	Lost semifinals	Moos SPORKEN (NED)		4-6 0-6
28th International Tournament of Salsomaggiore				Italy
	25 Apr 2011 to 01 May 2011		Entry: LL	Clay (O)
64	Lost first round	Gianluigi QUINZI (ITA)		2-6 1-6
28th International Tournament of Salsomaggiore Qualifying Draw				Italy
	23 Apr 2011 to 24 Apr 2011		Entry: DA	Clay (O)
64	Won first round	Fabio MERCURI (ITA)		6-2 6-2
32	Won second round	Fedor BAEV (NOR)		7-6(1) 6-4
16	Lost third round	Pietro RONDONI (ITA)		6-7(5) 3-6
36th City of Florence International Tournament				Italy
	20 Apr 2011 to 25 Apr 2011		Entry: DA	Clay (O)
64	B	()		BYE
32	Lost second round	James Junior STORME (BEL)		3-6 6-2 5-7
34th African Closed Junior Championships				Botswana
	04 Apr 2011 to 08 Apr 2011		Entry: DA	Hard (O)
32	B	()		BYE
16	Won third round	Tuki JACOBS (NAM)		6-7(5) 6-2 6-3
QF	Lost quarterfinals	Karim HOSSAM (EGY)		2-6 4-6