Kenya\u2019s tennis governing body has admitted to an error in judgment after a wildcard entry at the ITF W35 Nairobi tournament sparked widespread controversy and debate across the sport.In a statement issued on Thursday, Tennis Kenya acknowledged that granting a wildcard to Egyptian player Hajar Abdelkader was a mistake, following the circulation of a viral video that raised serious questions about her readiness to compete at professional level.<\/p>\n
\u201cTennis Kenya is aware of concerns regarding the participation of Egyptian player Hajar Abdelkader in the ITF W35 Nairobi tournament following the circulation of a video on social media that raised questions about her level of play,\u201d the federation said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn hindsight, Tennis Kenya acknowledges that this wildcard should not have been granted.\u201d<\/p>\n
The controversy stems from Abdelkader\u2019s first-round match against Germany\u2019s Lorena Schaedel,<\/a> which ended in an emphatic 6-0, 6-0 defeat in just 37 minutes at the Parklands Sports Club in Nairobi. Abdelkader won only three points in the entire match, two of which came from her opponent\u2019s double faults and one from an unforced error.<\/p>\n Footage from the match quickly went viral, with viewers highlighting Abdelkader\u2019s struggles with even the basic skills of competitive tennis. Match statistics showed that the 21-year-old committed 20 double faults and landed just 8.3 per cent of her first serves. At one stage, she was even guided by the chair umpire on where to stand to begin a point, an unusual sight at a professional ITF event.<\/p>\n In its statement, Tennis Kenya explained the circumstances under which the wildcard was awarded. Abdelkader was granted entry for the tournament after submitting a formal request and travelling to Nairobi on Tuesday morning. The opportunity arose after the original main-draw wildcard recipient withdrew at short notice and opted to compete in the qualifying draw instead.<\/p>\n \u201cAt the time, Ms Abdelkader was the only other player who had requested a wildcard, and the decision was taken on the information provided and in the interest of maintaining a full and balanced draw while supporting the development of tennis in Africa,\u201d the federation said.<\/p>\n What did I just watch? An ITF Tennis tournament in Nairobi, Kenya.<\/p>\n A player, Abdelkadar, who received a wildcard, didn\u2019t seem to know how to play tennis \u2014 how to serve, from which side to serve \u2014 it looked like it was her first time on a court.<\/p>\n She won just 3 points and made 20 pic.twitter.com\/rfEdkutq5I<\/a>\u2014 Hrach Khachatryan (@hrachoff) January 7, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n HOW THE WILDCARD WAS AWARDED<\/p>\n The federation also said Abdelkader had indicated that she possessed an appropriate level of competitive playing experience, and the wildcard was issued based on that information.<\/p>\n “In awarding wildcards, Tennis Kenya considers factors such as player development priorities, competitive balance of the draw and information provided by applicants with emphasis on Kenyan, East African and African players.<\/p>\n “In this instance, Ms Abdelkader indicated that she had an appropriate level of competitive playing experience, and the wildcard was issued based on the information provided.<\/p>\n Tennis Kenya and the International Tennis Federation also stressed the need to prioritise player welfare amid the intense online reaction. \u201cThis is a young person and given the extent and nature of coverage of this match, Tennis Kenya and the ITF recognise the need to keep the wellbeing of both players as a primary consideration,\u201d the statement said, adding that both players had been contacted and offered support.<\/p>\n However, Tennis Kenya conceded that the decision had backfired and pledged corrective measures. \u201cThe federation has taken note of this experience and will ensure that such an extremely rare occurrence never happens again,\u201d it said, reaffirming its commitment to fairness, transparency and the integrity of competition.<\/p>\n The episode has reignited scrutiny of the wildcard system in professional tennis, which is designed to support local players, returning athletes or emerging talent who do not meet direct entry criteria. Critics argue that the Nairobi mismatch risked undermining the credibility of ITF tournaments, with veteran tournament director Randy Walker describing the situation on social media as \u201ca straight-up disrespect to the integrity of the sport\u201d.<\/p>\n – Ends<\/p>\n Published By: <\/p>\n Akshay Ramesh<\/p>\n Published On: <\/p>\n Jan 9, 2026<\/p>\n