Dubai: One of Egypt’s top junior players is looking to reach for the stars - as she dreams of trying to overhaul former world number one Kim Clijsters’ achievement on the WTA Tour.

This was the first Dubai appearance for the Giza-born Sandra Sameh Samir, but what she has achieved here is enough for the teenager to aspire for much higher goals.

“I have always adored Kim [Clijsters] and all that she has achieved in both parts of her tennis career. One day I would like to do better than what she has achieved,” Samir told Gulf News on the sidelines of the 18th Al Habtoor Tennis Challenge (AHTC).

Seeded second in the qualifying rounds, Samir came through as one of the four entrants into the main draw and lost in the first round to second seed Klara Koukalova from the Czech Republic. “It was a bit unlucky to meet a high seed in the very first round. But then this is the sort of life I’ve got to get used to on the women’s tour,” she shrugged.

Samir, who turned 18 on November 4, is the 2013 U16 African junior tennis champion. She also plays for Egypt at the Fed Cup, where she holds a modest 9-6 win/loss record so far. A daughter of a former policeman, Samir has so far won one singles and one doubles title on the ITF tour. Earlier in August this year, she achieved her best singles ranking of 525.

An online student in an American School, Samir has a string of ambitious goals set before her. Putting education aside, Samir takes time out to be at the Advantage Tennis Academy in California, co-owned by Egyptian Karim Mahmoud and Jimmy Johnson, who also double up as her coaches.

“I am in my final year of school and there is no way I will compromise on my education. But at the same time I am ambitious of what I want to achieve on court and Kim Clijsters’ records are very much a huge part of this ambition,” she said.

“Within the next couple of years I want to see myself in the top-50 and then climb all the way to top-20. I know what I am saying may sound too vague, but I know that I have everything that is needed to make my dream come true,” Samir added.

Her father Sameh, who is accompanying her, is a former cop, and now owns a diving centre at the tourist destination of Sharm Al Shaikh. “I could have done nothing without the support of my parents. My elder sister Serene (four years her senior) inspired me to play tennis and have fun on my terms. And now, that fun is there but I have other serious goals in mind,” she added.