The Kenya Tennis Federation has admitted to an oversight after granting a wildcard entry to an amateur player whose professional debut at a Nairobi tournament quickly went viral online. The incident occurred during an International Tennis Federation W35 event, where a last-minute wildcard decision resulted in a highly one-sided match that drew global attention and criticism across social media platforms.
The player, Hajar Abdelkader, who competed under the Egyptian flag, suffered a straight-sets defeat in just over half an hour, managing to win only a handful of points while struggling with basic match play. Video clips circulating online showed repeated service errors confusion about court positioning and difficulty sustaining rallies, leading many viewers to label the appearance as one of the weakest debuts seen at professional level tennis.
Tournament organisers explained that the wildcard was issued shortly before the event began after another participant withdrew, leaving a gap in the draw. According to officials, the decision was made based on information submitted by the player, with the aim of maintaining tournament structure and scheduling. However, following the backlash, the federation stated that the choice should not have been approved and described the situation as an extremely rare occurrence.
In an official statement, Tennis Kenya confirmed that internal procedures would be reviewed to prevent similar situations in the future. The organisation also confirmed that it has reached out to both competitors involved to offer support in light of the intense public scrutiny surrounding the match.
Meanwhile, the Egyptian Tennis Federation clarified that the player is not registered with their organisation and that they were not involved in her nomination or participation. Despite an online profile indicating several years of tennis experience, officials stated they had no further details regarding her competitive background.
The match took place at entry-level professional competition, where players earn prize money and ranking points, highlighting the importance of proper vetting in wildcard selections. The incident has sparked broader discussion within the tennis community about tournament governance transparency and safeguarding the integrity of professional events.
