Jan 9 (Reuters) – The International Tennis Federation said on Friday the performance of a wildcard player at a women’s tournament in Nairobi was “unacceptable” for a World Tennis Tour (WTT) event and that it was reviewing procedures for awarding wildcards.
The comments followed a first-round match at an ITF W35 event in Kenya that went viral after wildcard Hajar Abdelkader lost 6-0 6-0 in 37 minutes, committing 20 double faults and appearing unfamiliar with basic elements of the game, prompting organisers to say the wildcard should not have been granted.
“As the Tournament Operator and National Association, Tennis Kenya had understood that Ms Abdelkader was of an appropriate standard to compete. The outcome showed this was clearly not the case and was unacceptable for a World Tennis Tour event, along with being unfortunate for the player,” an ITF spokesperson said.
“We acknowledge proportionate measures must be taken to prevent this happening again. We are exploring ways to ensure that, by assessing the process of awarding wildcards with consideration to a minimum playing standards requirement to compete at a WTT event.”
The WTT provides competitive opportunities for nearly 11,000 players each year across more than 1,250 events in more than 75 countries, serving as the main pathway to the top levels of the sport, with entry-level tournaments still offering prize money and ranking points.
(Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios in Mexico City)
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