Egyptian player went viral after terrible performance
21-year-old lost 6-0, 6-0 to world No 1,026 in Nairobi
Tennis Kenya said a controversial wildcard granted to Hajar Abdelkader should not have happened after the young Egyptian’s performance at a professional tournament in Nairobi went viral.
The 21-year-old won just three points and served 20 double faults on her way to a 6-0, 6-0 defeat against German world No 1,026, Lorena Schaedel. Videos shared on social media showed the Egyptian struggling to serve and position herself on the court.
While the practice of favouring local players when awarding wildcards is widespread, including in grand slam and WTA tournaments, Abdelkader’s level of play has raised question marks about the wisdom of awarding her a place in a tournament sanctioned by the International Tennis Federation (ITF).
