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5h ago

Tennis Kenya Admits Wildcard Error After Viral Nairobi Mismatch

Organisers say a late withdrawal led to the pick.

Abdelkader repeatedly failed to hit a legitimate serve and had to receive advice from her opponent
Image
Tennis Kenya acknowledged the wild card entry should not have been granted.
A logo is seen at the entrance to the International Tennis Federation headquarters, where the Tennis Integrity Unit is based, in London, Britain January 18, 2016. REUTERS/Toby Melville

Overview

  • Hajar Abdelkader, 21, lost 6-0, 6-0 to Germany’s Lorena Schaedel in 37 minutes, winning three points and serving 20 double faults at the ITF W35 event in Nairobi.
  • Tennis Kenya said Abdelkader was the only player to request a wildcard after a last-minute withdrawal and that she flew in the day before the match, later conceding the decision was a mistake.
  • The Egyptian Tennis Federation said Abdelkader is not registered with the national body and that it played no role in her nomination or entry, with officials indicating she has been residing in Kenya.
  • Tennis Kenya and the ITF said they have contacted both players to offer support following the intense online attention, and the full match video was later removed from the ITF website without explanation.
  • The episode fueled criticism from tennis figures and renewed scrutiny of wildcard vetting at lower-tier professional tournaments that still award prize money and ranking points.