Event organisers in Nairobi stated they made a mistake in granting a wildcard entry to a participant whose struggles with the fundamentals of tennis went viral on social media.
Hajar Abdelkader, competing beneath an Egyptian flag, misplaced 6-0 6-0 to German world quantity 1026 Lorena Schaedel in 37 minutes at an Worldwide Tennis Federation (ITF) W35 event on Wednesday, profitable solely three factors and committing 20 double faults.
Of the three factors she received, none have been off her personal racquet. Two have been double faults, and one was a return from Schaedel that sailed vast.
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The 21-year-old newbie appeared unfamiliar with find out how to play the game, touchdown fewer than one in 10 first serves and needing her opponent to direct her to the proper aspect of the court docket, as clips went viral with some calling it the “worst ever” skilled debut.
In footage circulating on-line, it regarded as if Schaedel at one level even hit some mild lobs to Abdelkader within the hope of producing some form of rally.
Hajar Abdelkader made what’s been dubbed the ‘wost ever’ debut in skilled sport in an ITF event in Nairobi. X
Tennis Kenya, hosts of the occasion, stated Abdelkader was given a last-minute wildcard after one other participant withdrew shortly earlier than the event, trying to preserve a full and balanced draw. The choice, they stated, was taken based mostly on info offered by the participant.
“In hindsight, this wildcard mustn’t have been granted,” Tennis Kenya stated in an announcement.
“The federation has taken observe of this expertise and can make sure that such an especially uncommon incidence by no means occurs once more.”
The Egyptian Tennis Federation distanced themselves from the debacle, telling the Each day Mail and BBC that Abdelkader isn’t registered with the organisation and performed no position in her nomination or entry.
They added that that they had no additional details about her tennis background, regardless of her ITF profile stating that she has performed the game for the reason that age of 14.
Tennis Kenya stated that they had contacted each gamers concerned to supply help following the extent and nature of the protection of the lopsided match, which was a part of the entry degree {of professional} tennis the place occasions nonetheless award prize cash and rating factors.
