Tennis Kenya admits it shouldn't have let amateur compete after viral defeat

BBC News - WorldEN 2 min read 100% complete by ByStewart MacleanBBC News, in NairobiJanuary 8, 2026 at 05:28 PM

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Tennis Kenya admitted it erred in allowing an amateur player, Hajar Abdelkader, to compete in a professional women's tournament in Nairobi on Wednesday. Abdelkader, a 21-year-old Egyptian, lost her first-round match 6-0, 6-0, serving 20 double faults and winning only three points against her German opponent. The match footage went viral, raising questions about her eligibility. Tennis Kenya granted Abdelkader a wildcard entry to maintain player balance after another player withdrew. The organization acknowledged that, in retrospect, she should not have been allowed to participate and pledged to prevent similar occurrences in the future. The Egyptian Tennis Federation confirmed that Abdelkader is not registered with them and had no involvement in her participation.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

East Africa 40% Germany 40% Africa 40% Dia Nabil Loutfy 50% Egypt ×260% Lorena Schaedel ×260% Nairobi ×260% Kenya ×470% International Tennis Federation 70% Egyptian Tennis Federation ×480% Hajar Abdelkader ×890% Tennis Kenya ×690%

Keywords

tennis tournament 90% wildcard player 80% tennis kenya 80% amateur player 70% itf tournament 70% player eligibility 60% egyptian tennis federation 60% double faults 60% integrity of competition 50%