A wildcard entrant to a professional tennis tournament has captured global attention—but not for the reasons she might have hoped.
Hajar Abdelkader, a 21-year-old Egyptian player, lasted just 37 minutes in her first-round International Tennis Federation (ITF) W35 match in Nairobi, winning a mere three points against Germany’s Lorena Schaedel.
The match has been widely shared online, with many calling it one of the most unusual performances in recent tennis history.
A Tough Day on the Clay Court
Abdelkader’s outing on Nairobi’s dusty clay court was marred by a series of mishaps.
Wearing a simple black t-shirt and leggings rather than the more conventional tennis kit of her opponent, she struggled under the humid, high-twenties temperatures.
Her serves often sailed high and wide, contributing to a staggering 20 double faults over two sets.
When she did connect with Schaedel’s serve, her returns frequently failed to make it over the net.
The points Abdelkader did claim were mostly courtesy of mistakes from her opponent—two double faults and a wild unforced error.
However, she did manage to win a single point off her own racquet in the second set when her return forced Schaedel into an overhit forehand.
Still, Abdelkader’s first-serve percentage stood at just 8.3%, highlighting the difficulties she faced on the court.
A Late Starter in Professional Tennis
According to her ITF player profile, Abdelkader has been playing tennis since the age of 14, but Wednesday’s match marked her first tour-level appearance.
Observers have questioned how she secured a spot in a professional draw, especially in a W35 event that, while offering smaller prize money than higher-tier tournaments, still awards £22,000 ($25,000) and valuable ranking points to the winner.
The ITF World Tennis Tour sits at the bottom of professional tennis, beneath the WTA and ATP tours, as well as the Challenger circuits.
W35 tournaments are considered one of the entry points for players aiming to climb the professional ranks, but they still come with competitive stakes that demand preparation and experience.
Wildcards Are Meant for Promising Talent
The use of wildcards in professional tennis is tightly regulated.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) strictly prohibits the sale of wildcards at any level.
Section D.1.k of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program clearly states that players, organizers, and all parties bound by ITIA rules “shall not, directly or indirectly, offer, pay or accept money, benefit or consideration for the provision of a wildcard to an event.”
Wildcards are intended to give promising regional players an opportunity to compete at a higher level even if they haven’t qualified directly.
Abdelkader’s performance, however, has raised eyebrows and prompted questions about whether her entry followed the spirit of that rule.
Questions Remain
The Daily Mail Sport reached out to the Nairobi W35 tournament director for comment, but no response had been received at the time of publication.
Meanwhile, social media continues to buzz about Abdelkader’s match, a reminder that professional tennis can sometimes produce moments that are equal parts humbling and viral.
Share on Facebook «||» Share on Twitter «||» Share on Reddit «||» Share on LinkedIn