Watch: Professional tennis match goes viral, raising questions over wildcard entry

Dubai: A professional women’s tennis match at the ITF Nairobi tournament has gone viral after Egyptian player Hajar Abdelkader delivered an unusually poor performance that many viewers felt undermined the integrity of the sport.

The match sparked widespread concern, as Abdelkader appeared to lack even a basic familiarity with competitive tennis. The 21-year-old was defeated 6—0, 6—0 by Germany’s Lorena Schaedel in just 37 minutes, managing to win only three points throughout the entire match — each coming from unforced errors by her opponent.

Abdelkader recorded 20 double faults and posted a first-serve percentage of just 8.3 per cent. The display left officials and fans questioning how she was granted a wildcard entry into the tournament. At several points during the match, Schaedel and the chair umpire were reportedly forced to explain the rules and direct Abdelkader on where to position herself on court.

Veteran tournament director Randy Walker publicly condemned the match on social media, calling it “a straight-up disrespect to the integrity of the sport.” He argued that the situation “doesn’t even need to be investigated” and demanded that the tournament promoter be replaced for allowing such an entry.

Although the International Tennis Federation (ITF) has yet to issue an official statement, footage of the match has exceeded one million views online, fuelling a global debate about the use and oversight of wildcard entries in professional tennis.