Tennis player Hajar Abdelkader's 'shocking' debut goes viral, organizers apologize
What's the story
A first-round match in the International Tennis Federation's W35 tournament in Nairobi, Kenya, has gone viral for all the wrong reasons. The match saw Germany's Lorena Schaedel beat Morocco's Hajar Abdelkader 6-0, 6-0. While such a scoreline isn't unusual in tennis, it was Abdelkader's performance that caught everyone's attention. The 21-year-old appeared to be out of her depth on a professional court and struggled with basic skills like serving and returning balls over the net.
Wild card admission
Abdelkader's entry into the tournament
Abdelkader was admitted to the tournament as a wild card, which is an invitation that allows players to skip qualifying rounds. Tennis Kenya confirmed this in a statement to CNN Sports, saying she had requested the wild card and arrived in Nairobi on Tuesday morning. The organization added that Abdelkader was the only other player who had requested a wild card when another player withdrew at short notice and opted into the qualifying draw.
Match analysis
Abdelkader's performance and reactions
Despite having played tennis for seven years, Abdelkader struggled on the court. She made 20 double faults and only won three points, all of which were errors from her opponent. The Moroccan Tennis Federation confirmed to CNN Sports that Abdelkader isn't registered with them or part of their official player lists. This further fueled speculation about her professional debut in this tournament.
Tournament significance
ITF tournaments and Abdelkader's impact
ITF tournaments are the lowest tier of professional tennis but carry significant ranking points. The winner in Nairobi will pocket $25,000. Some commentators have expressed concern that Abdelkader's entry may have come at the expense of a more experienced player. Tennis Kenya has admitted that they would prefer to avoid such farcical matches in the future and are committed to fairness, transparency, and integrity in their competitions.
Twitter Post
Here is the viral video!
What’s going on⁉️
— UTR Sports (@UTR_Sports_) January 7, 2026
Viral videos of Egyptian tennis player Hajar Abdelkader playing in the 1st rd of a W35 main draw have been circulating 👀
Abdelkader lost 0-6, 0-6 w/ 20 double faults & 3 points won (2 off of the opponent’s double faults) in 37 min! pic.twitter.com/ci8AWKCdGL