ITF organizers admit mistake over wild card in Nairobi
The organizers of the clay-court tennis tournament in Nairobi (Kenya), part of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) circuit, released a statement admitting they made a mistake by granting a wild card to a player who appeared to be stepping onto a tennis court for the first time.
Hajar Abdelkader (Egypt) lost 0–6, 0–6 to world No. 1026 Lorena Shedel of Germany in just 37 minutes in the first round of the tournament, which has a prize fund of $30,000. The Egyptian player won only three points in the entire match and committed 20 double faults, CE Report quotes BTA.
The 21-year-old amateur looked comical on court with her shots and seemed unfamiliar even with basic tennis rules, at times needing her opponent to guide her to the correct side of the court. Videos of the match quickly spread on social media, with many tennis fans calling it “the worst professional debut ever.”
The hosts of the tournament, Tennis Kenya, said Abdelkader received the invitation at the last minute to fill the draw after another player withdrew. The decision was made based on information provided by the Egyptian player herself.
“Looking back, this wild card should not have been granted. The federation has learned from this incident and will ensure that such a situation does not happen again in the future,” the organizers wrote, as quoted by Reuters.
As reported by CE Report, the Egyptian Tennis Federation distanced itself from the incident, stating that Abdelkader is not even on their list of players and that the country’s tennis governing body had no role in nominating her for participation in the Nairobi tournament.
