Hajar Abdelkader, a 21-year-old Egyptian who began playing tennis at age 14, has become the talk of the internet after her wildcard debut at the ITF W35 Nairobi tournament ended in a quick defeat. The unranked player was beaten 6-0, 6-0 by Germany's Lorena Schaedel, ranked world No. 1026, in 37 minutes on 7 January 2026, securing only three points in the process.
Video of the match, which showed her struggling with basic techniques and rules, has gone viral, leading to questions about how she obtained the wildcard for the event.
