20 Double Faults in 37 Minutes: The Hajar Abdelkader Tennis Wildcard Viral Disaster Explained
We break down the Hajar Abdelkader tennis wildcard viral story in Nairobi. A 37-minute match with 20 double faults leads to an apology from Tennis Kenya.
Just 3 points won in 37 minutes. A professional match turned into a social media sensation for all the wrong reasons. Organizers of an ITF tournament in Nairobi have finally spoken out after footage of Egyptian player Hajar Abdelkader's dire performance sparked a global debate over professional standards.
Tennis Kenya Apologizes for Hajar Abdelkader Tennis Wildcard Viral Debacle
The match was over almost as soon as it started. Abdelkader's opponent, German player Lorena Schaedel (ranked 1,026th), looked bemused as the Egyptian amateur struggled to complete basic serves. According to the BBC, Abdelkader isn't even registered with the Egyptian Tennis Federation, which has since distanced itself from the incident, stating they had no role in her nomination.
In hindsight, she should not have been allowed to play. We will ensure such an extremely rare occurrence never happens again.
Tennis Kenya explained that the 21-year-old was granted a last-minute wildcard to maintain a balance of represented nations after another player withdrew. However, the move backfired spectacularly, raising questions about the integrity of the tournament's entry criteria.
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