Tournament organisers in Nairobi have apologised after what has been widely labelled the “worst ever” wildcard entry in professional tennis, following a one-sided match that quickly went viral online.
Hajar Abdelkader, competing under an Egyptian flag, was handed a wildcard into an International Tennis Federation (ITF) W35 tournament, only to lose 6–0 6–0 to German world number 1026 Lorena Schaedel in just 37 minutes.
The 21-year-old amateur won only three points during the match and committed 20 double faults. None of the points she won came from her own racquet – two were double faults from her opponent, while the third came when a return from Schaedel sailed wide.
Footage from the match spread rapidly on social media, with viewers noting Abdelkader appeared unfamiliar with basic elements of the game. She landed fewer than one in 10 first serves and at times needed her opponent to direct her to the correct side of the court.
In one widely shared clip, Schaedel appeared to slow play and hit gentle lobs in an effort to create some kind of rally.
Tennis Kenya, which hosted the tournament, said Abdelkader was granted a last-minute wildcard after another player withdrew shortly before the event, as organisers sought to maintain a full and balanced draw.
Here is Tennis Kenya's statement regarding Egyptian player Hajar Abdelkader Wildcard at the ITF W35 in Nairobi.
— Katami Michelle (@MichKatami) January 8, 2026
This follows the circulation of social media videos that raised questions about her level of play. pic.twitter.com/RAIcBlgx2j
“In hindsight, this wildcard should not have been granted,” Tennis Kenya said in a statement.
“The federation has taken note of this experience and will ensure that such an extremely rare occurrence never happens again.”
The Egyptian Tennis Federation moved to distance itself from the situation, telling the Daily Mail and the BBC that Abdelkader is not registered with the organisation and that it played no role in her nomination or entry.
Officials said they had no further information about her tennis background, despite her ITF profile stating that she has played the sport since the age of 14.
Tennis Kenya said it had contacted both players involved to offer support following the intense attention surrounding the match, which took place at the entry level of professional tennis, where tournaments still award prize money and world ranking points.
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