The Egyptian Tennis Federation denied on Thursday any connection to player Hagar Abdel Qader’s participation in an international tournament in Kenya, revealing she is not registered with them, following severe criticism of her performance.
Hagar Abdel Qader, 21 years old, played a match in a tournament in Kenya with a wild card invitation, losing catastrophically to Germany’s Lorena Schiedel, ranked 1026 in the world, with a score of 0-6, 0-6.
A statement indicated that the player “participated in the tournament in Nairobi with an exceptional wild card granted to her.”
It added, “The Egyptian Tennis Federation had no role, direct or indirect, in nominating the player or requesting or approving the granting of this wild card, and the Egyptian Tennis Federation was in no way involved in the player’s entry into or participation in this tournament.”
The match, which took place as part of an international tennis tournament, became a subject of widespread mockery and controversy after the “catastrophic” performance delivered by the Egyptian player Hagar Abdel Qader in her match against Germany’s Lorena Schiedel.
Video clips from Abdel Qader’s match spread on social media, showing her making numerous errors, with the umpire having to remind her on multiple occasions of where she should stand to start the point.
The number of double faults committed by the Egyptian player reached 20 out of 22 serves, with a first serve success rate not exceeding 8.3 percent.
The player earned only 3 points, two of which came from double faults by Schiedel, while the third was the result of an easy error.
The director of the “Vero Beach Futures” tennis tournament strongly denounced what happened, writing on platform “X”: “No need to even investigate this. It’s a blatant insult to the integrity of the sport. The organizing body should be replaced immediately and removed from the world of tennis.”
In another tweet, referencing the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), it was anticipated that an urgent investigation would be opened into the circumstances surrounding granting an invitation to a player lacking the minimum professional skills, especially as the tournament held on clay courts offers prize money of $30,000.
According to her profile on the International Tennis Federation website, this match was Abdel Qader’s first-ever participation at the professional tour level.
The Egyptian Federation stated, “We do not possess any additional technical, competitive, or administrative information regarding the player or the circumstances of her participation in the tournament.”
Egyptian Tennis Federation
The Egyptian Tennis Federation is the national governing body for tennis in Egypt, responsible for organizing tournaments and developing the sport. It was established in 1920, making it one of the oldest tennis federations in Africa and the Arab world. The federation has played a key role in promoting Egyptian tennis and producing players who have competed internationally.
Kenya
Kenya is an East African nation known for its diverse landscapes, wildlife, and rich cultural heritage, formed from numerous ethnic groups like the Maasai and Kikuyu. Its modern history is marked by British colonial rule until it gained independence in 1963, with its pre-colonial past featuring influential Swahili coastal city-states engaged in Indian Ocean trade. Today, it is a major hub for safari tourism and is renowned for archaeological sites like the Turkana Basin, a significant area for early human fossils.
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya, founded in 1899 as a railway depot for the British East Africa Protectorate. It grew rapidly to become a major commercial and administrative hub, and today is known for its modern skyline juxtaposed with the nearby Nairobi National Park, a wildlife reserve just outside the city limits.
Germany
Germany is a country in Central Europe with a complex history, having been a collection of states for centuries before unifying in 1871. It was a central power in both World Wars, was divided into East and West Germany during the Cold War, and reunified in 1990 to become a leading economic and political force in the European Union. Its cultural landscape is marked by numerous historic sites, castles, and contributions to philosophy, music, and science.
Vero Beach Futures
“Vero Beach Futures” is not a recognized historical place or cultural site. The term appears to be a modern, forward-looking community or economic development concept for the city of Vero Beach, Florida, rather than a location with a documented past.
International Tennis Integrity Agency
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) is the independent body responsible for safeguarding the integrity of professional tennis worldwide. It was established in 2021, succeeding the Tennis Integrity Unit, to enforce the sport’s anti-corruption code and anti-doping program. Its history is rooted in the sport’s ongoing efforts to prevent match-fixing, doping, and other forms of misconduct.
International Tennis Federation
The International Tennis Federation (ITF) is the world governing body for tennis, founded in 1913 as the International Lawn Tennis Federation. It is responsible for overseeing the rules of the sport, organizing major team competitions like the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup, and managing the Olympic tennis event.
