The participation of an Egyptian – obviously a beginner – in a professional tournament in Kenya created a buzz. But there have already been some crazy stories on the circuit…
How did Hajar Abdelkader, a 21-year-old Egyptian, receive an invitation to the $35,000 Nairobi, a professional tournament in Kenya? This is the question that ignites tennis fans. This young woman obviously did not know the rules of tennis. And we wonder how she could have found herself thrown into this arena. Her opponent, the German Lorena Schaedel, gave her three points (two double-faults and a forehand out of bounds).
Was Martha Tirop, the tournament director, abused? In a press release published this Thursday, the Kenyan federation provided details. “Miss Abdelkader had obtained a wild card after having made a request and she took her flight on Tuesday. The spot became free after a withdrawal, she was the only one to have made the request and the decision was taken on the information provided and on the interest of maintaining a balance while supporting the development of tennis in Africa. Tennis Kenya recognizes that this wild card should not have been granted given the level of the player. Our Federation has taken note of this experience and will ensure that This doesn’t happen again.”
Transparency that will reassure everyone? Because there are sometimes rumors of “purchased” wild cards. Even though the approach is formally prohibited, it is more widespread than one might think. Especially in the $15,000 tournaments, which put your foot down. “Monastir, Sharm El Sheikh, Antalya, there can be disguised wild cards. You come three or four days before, you pay for the hotel and you have the WC,” a French player tells us. Neither seen nor known.
A 53-year-old grandmother plays in Guyana
Now, taking part in a professional tournament is almost within everyone’s reach. The first essential step is to create an IPIN identifier. A childish approach carried out on the website of the International Federation. No proof of classification is required. You just need to pay an annual fee of 70 dollars (60 euros).
Afterwards, you have to sniff out the good moves. There is an edifying example this week in Guyana. New to the calendar, this women’s tournament with $15,000 did not have the expected success. In a field of 32, only fourteen girls are entered. Concretely, if you were passing through Cayenne, you could take part in this professional event. A 53-year-old American, Leslie Rose, had a little fun and lost 6-2, 6-0 to Frenchwoman Astrid Cirotte, 675th in the world.
About ten years ago, Tomas Fabian, a Czech in his fifties, created a buzz in France. Benjamin Tullou had crossed paths with this strange enthusiast in the qualifications of the Future of Bagnères-de-Bigorre. He won 6-0, 6-0 in 24 minutes without losing a single point! “He had 80s shorts, a Wilson racket and his stuff was in a supermarket bag“reported Benjamin Tullou in an article for Ouest-France. This grandpa was able to integrate the table because it was not complete. And from the moment it is registered with the International Federation, the referee cannot refuse it.
