In a move to clarify its stance, Egypt’s tennis federation has publicly disassociated itself from a player whose unexpected participation in a professional tournament in Nairobi has raised eyebrows and left many questions unanswered. This player, Hajar Abdelkader, had been granted a wildcard entry, which she used to compete in the event, only to make headlines for all the wrong reasons.

Abdelkader, 21, became an internet sensation following her swift 37-minute defeat by Loren Shaedel, ranked world No. 1,026. The match ended with a 6-0, 6-0 scoreline, and Abdelkader’s performance was notable for her apparent unfamiliarity with some of the sport’s basic aspects, having won merely three points throughout the match.

According to information obtained by Daily Mail Sport, Abdelkader’s wildcard entry was a last-minute development. Initially denied, her participation was facilitated when another player withdrew, opening up a spot for her in the tournament.

While the responsibility for granting wildcards lies with the tournament organizers, in this case, Tennis Kenya, scrutiny naturally shifted towards the Egyptian Tennis Federation (ETF). Many sought to understand Abdelkader’s tennis background and how she managed to secure a spot in the tournament.

Despite Abdelkader competing under the Egyptian flag, the ETF made it clear, in a statement on Thursday, that she is not affiliated with them. They emphasized that Abdelkader is not registered as one of their players, seeking to distance themselves from the controversy surrounding her participation.

A spokesperson told Daily Mail Sport that the ETF ‘had no role whatsoever directly or indirectly in the nomination, approval or issuance of this wild card’ and that in ‘no capacity’ were they involved in Abdelkader’s entry, adding that the organisation believes she is based in Kenya. 

Hajar Abdelkader shot to infamy on Wednesday for her participation at a W35 event in Nairobi

The ETF also confirmed that they had no further information to share on the player’s background, and that she has never competed in any of their junior competitions, development pathways, or national events, despite Abdelkader’s ITF player profile claiming that she has been playing since the age of 14. 

Adding to the mystery of Abdelkader’s background, Tennis Kenya when contacted for comment claimed that she had flown into Nairobi to compete in the tournament, appearing to contradict the Egyptian statement.  

Tennis Kenya downplayed the circumstances surrounding Abdelkader’s entry, sharing in a statement that, despite being given information they believed formed an argument for her involvement, the wildcard ‘should not have been granted’. 

‘Ms Abdelkader was granted a wildcard for Week Two of the event after submitting a formal request and she flew in on Tuesday morning,’ the statement began. ‘The slot became available following a short notice withdrawal by the originally awarded Main Draw wildcard recipient, who opted into the Qualifying draw. 

‘At the time, Ms Abdelkader was the only other player who had requested a wildcard, and the decision was taken on the information provided and in the interest of maintaining a full and balanced draw while supporting the development of tennis in Africa. 

‘In hindsight, Tennis Kenya acknowledges that this wildcard should not have been granted. The federation has taken note of this experience and will ensure that such an extremely rare occurrence never happen again. 

‘Tennis Kenya remains committed to fairness, transparency and the integrity of competition, as well as to the continued development of tennis in Kenya, East Africa, and across Africa.’ 

Tennis Kenya added that Abdelkader had ‘indicated that she had an appropriate level of competitive playing experience’ with the wildcard issued ‘based on the information provided’. 

In what may have been a source of embarrassment and confusion for the organisers, Tennis Kenya president Wanjiru Mbugua-Karani and Kenya’s Olympic Committee (NOCK) president Shadrack Maluki were both in the stands at the tournament on Wednesday. 

Abdelkader was described by the Secretary General of Arab and Egyptian Tennis Federations Walid Sami as ‘clearly’ having never played before. 

‘She has never played tennis before, and this is clear from the level she showed,’ he told Batolat. ‘We have no connection whatsoever with the player, neither personally or professionally, and we do not know her at all.’ 

Dressed in unorthodox kit of leggings and a dark t-shirt, Abdelkader managed to execute only 8.3 per cent of her first serves, and hit 20 double faults on route to defeat. 

In one instance on serve, Abdelkader was even told where to stand by her opponent after appearing not to know the appropriate side of the court. 

The ITF World Tennis Tour is the lowest of the three tiers of competitive tours for professional players, behind the WTA and ATP tours at the top of the table, and the Challengers Tours.

But a number of WTA players will continue to compete in ITF events should they be returning from injury, keen to bolster their ranking, or interested in a shot at the top prize, with seven players inside the top 500 in the world standings competing in Nairobi.

W35 events – who offer the second-lowest amount of prize money – still come with sizeable financial reward, with £22,000 ($25,000) available as well as ranking points.

For Abdelkader’s first-round defeat, she is likely to have earned in the region of £300.