A player who can't even serve has entered an ITF professional tournament, sparking outrage among foreign netizens and experts.

Recently, 21-year-old wildcard entrant Hajar Abdelkader made her professional debut at the ITF Nairobi event. However, this Egyptian player unexpectedly became a shocking viral sensation, astonishing countless tennis fans.

What’s unbelievable isn’t that she lost 0-6, 0-6 in just 37 minutes—such scores are not uncommon even in pro matches. For example, in the 2025 Wimbledon women’s final, Swiatek swept Anisimova 6-0, 6-0 in 57 minutes. The real shock to the tennis community was Abdelkader’s extremely “rookie” level when facing world No. 1026 Lorena Schädler.

Throughout the match, Schädler lost only 3 points, two of which were due to her own double faults. Meanwhile, Abdelkader struggled with the most basic techniques, repeatedly hitting serves into the net or out of bounds, committing an astonishing 20 double faults out of 24 service points. Several times, the chair umpire had to gently remind her where to stand to begin the point, leaving viewers almost unable to believe their eyes.

Reports indicate that Abdelkader gained entry via a wildcard at the last minute after a local Kenyan player withdrew. Her ITF profile shows she has been playing tennis for seven years. This fact alone reignited a firestorm on social media.

One fan commented, “She looks like a girl picking up a racket for the first time at 14. How could she be allowed to compete in a pro event?” Fans love underdog stories, admire fighting spirit, and cheer for upsets. But seeing a player so clearly out of her league on the court stirred mixed emotions.

In the humid, nearly 30°C conditions, Abdelkader wore a black T-shirt and tight pants, sharply contrasting with her opponent’s standard tennis attire. She tossed the ball high for serves but repeatedly missed the mark, with a first-serve success rate of only 8.3%.

Another fan joked on Twitter, “Worst athlete I’ve ever seen? Might as well send her straight to Wimbledon!” Many pointed fingers at the organizers, accusing them of putting Abdelkader in a situation she was clearly unprepared for.

Famous tennis coach Sacha Bajin wrote on X, “I believe the blame shouldn’t be on player Hajar Abdelkader but on the organizers and officials who made this possible and granted her the wildcard.” This performance also raised questions about how she even qualified to participate.

The rules state in the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program: no covered person shall directly or indirectly give, pay, or accept any money, benefit, or consideration in exchange for a wildcard into any event. After watching the video, several tennis authorities called for immediate action if any violations are found.

Randy Walker wrote on X, “Allowing this to happen makes the ITF World Tennis Tour look like a joke and has gone viral. It disrespects every talented player fighting on this circuit. Immediate action must be taken against those responsible for this farce.”

For Abdelkader, this will undoubtedly be a difficult memory; for the tennis world, it’s an unforgettable moment—sometimes reality is stranger than fiction.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Spark)