Tennis Kenya has issued a statement explaining the wildcard granted to Egyptian player Hajar Abdelkader for the ITF W35 Nairobi tournament, acknowledging it as an error after her match footage spread widely online. The 21-year-old suffered a swift 6-0, 6-0 defeat to Germany's Lorena Schaedel, ranked 1026th globally, securing only three points across 37 minutes while serving 20 double faults.
The federation noted the slot opened due to a late qualifying withdrawal, with Abdelkader's formal request approved on provided details to ensure a complete draw and promote African tennis development. As of 8 January 2026, they conceded such a rare occurrence must not repeat.
