Tennis Kenya has issued a formal apology and admitted to a significant error in judgement after footage of a brutally one-sided professional match in Nairobi went viral across social media platforms.
The Viral Match That Sparked Outrage
The controversy centres on Egyptian player Hajar Abdelkader, who received a late wildcard entry into an ITF tournament in the Kenyan capital. Her first-round opponent was world number 1026, Lorena Schaedel. What transpired was a match that lasted a mere 37 minutes, resulting in a 6-0, 6-0 victory for Schaedel.
Abdelkader, 21, managed to win just three points in the entire contest. Disturbingly, 20 of her 24 serving attempts were double faults. Video clips showed a player with seemingly little competitive experience, struggling with basic coordination and even the rules of the game, requiring frequent guidance from her opponent on where to stand.
Tennis Kenya's Explanation and Mea Culpa
Facing a wave of criticism and questions over how Abdelkader was granted a wildcard, Tennis Kenya released a detailed statement. They explained that a last-minute withdrawal by another player created an empty slot. Abdelkader was reportedly the only other applicant for the wildcard and had indicated she possessed an appropriate level to compete.
"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," the statement read.
However, the federation unequivocally accepted its mistake. "In hindsight, Tennis Kenya acknowledges that this wildcard should not have been granted," they stated. "The federation has taken note of this experience and will ensure that such an extremely rare occurrence never happens again."
Part of a Broader Wildcard Controversy
This incident is not isolated in the lower tiers of professional tennis, where the allocation of wildcards is often scrutinised. It echoes a high-profile controversy from last year involving Australian doubles pair Bernard Tomic and Omar Jasika, who played a match against US billionaire Bill Ackman.
Ackman, worth over $9 billion, received a wildcard into the 2025 Hall of Fame Open doubles draw, a move criticised by legends like Andy Roddick, who called it "the biggest joke I’ve ever watched in professional tennis." Martina Navratilova quipped, "Apparently you can buy yourself a wild card."
These episodes have sparked continuous debate about integrity, transparency, and whether wildcards are being used to favour wealth or connections over genuine competitive merit. Tennis Kenya has now pledged its commitment to "fairness, transparency and the integrity of competition" in the wake of its own embarrassing episode.
