Dubai: The Arab world's most successful tennis player is getting her bearings as she plans a huge boost for the sport in the region.
Tunisia's Selima Sfar has not only been the most successful player to emerge from this region, she has also been a fantastic ambassador for the Arab world on the international stage.
During her prime, the petite star was ranked as high as No 75 in the world (July 16, 2001), though most of her success was in ITF tournaments, where she won 11 singles titles.
Now she is in discussions with the powers that be about ways she thinks the standard of play in the region can be improved.
"I have already started talking about plans I have with some people around this region, especially in Doha. I think I have some great ideas to put forward to push women's tennis forward in this part of the world," Sfar told Gulf News during the Dubai Duty Free Women's Open.
"For the moment I will not think about setting up academies or training schools, but concentrate more on events to promote the game more among the girls and women in the Arab world.
"I recognise the challenge here as we have a different mentality, first among the mothers so that they can encourage their daughters to take up sport. We need to send across new messages that will have a positive impact.
"I would start from the schools and get the girls from a young age. It is also important that we give the same message to the adults as well, in particular to mothers as it is they who educate their children."
Fond memories
One of Sfar's fondest memories of her playing days was right here during the inaugural edition of this tournament, when she beat Silvija Talaja and Barbara Schett before going down in three sets to Nathalie Tauziat in front of an adoring crowd on centre court in 2001.
Since taking a step back from tennis, she has been doing a lot of commentating with Qatar-based Al Jazira TV. "But I still make time for practice as I want to keep fit so that I can join the Legends Tour possibly from next season," she said.
