BUJUMBURA, May 26 (ABP) – The young tennis player Sada Nahimana made history for Burundi on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, at the Grand Prix SAR La Princesse Lalla Meryem. She became the first Burundian woman to win a match in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) main draw after defeating Moroccan player Aya El Aouni with a score of 6-3, 6-2.
Two years ago in Rabat, Nahimana became the first Burundian woman to participate in a WTA main draw, but she lost in the first round to Jana Fett, 6-0, 6-4.
This year, the 24-year-old Sada Nahimana returned to the tournament in top form, having won the first two ITF W50 tournaments of her career on home soil in Bujumbura in March. Ranked 267th, Nahimana advanced through the qualifiers with wins over Luca Udvardy, junior Wimbledon finalist in 2022, and Carolina Alves.
Against El Aouni, Nahimana remained in control throughout. Her net play and drop shots proved to be the key to her victory.
Nahimana now holds a record of 21 wins and 6 losses. In the next round, she will face a Spanish opponent Bouzas Maneiro, ranked in the Top 100, marking the first time she plays against such a highly ranked player.
It is worth recalling that the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) was founded in 1973 by Billie Jean King, the visionary and then-young American player, to ensure equal opportunities for women in tennis.