Worst Tennis Performance in Open Era History?
By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, January 8, 2026
Photo credit: ITF Screen Shot
Tennis is a tough sport.
One wild card recipient produced such a tennis travesty in a recent ITF match, some are calling it the worst performance in Open Era history.
Watch Egyptian wild card Hajar Abdelkader, seemingly playing her first match in an ITF 35K, struggle to even connect cleanly on the service toss.
In an absolutely painful performance, the wild card struggled to make contact with the ball, made rallies so rare it was as if she was wearing a blindfold, managed to win just three points and suffered a double-bagel defeat. Here’s video courtesy of Tennis Legend:
Ça, c'est les ITF qu'on aime ! 🤣😍
— Tennis Legend (@TennisLegende) January 7, 2026
Wild card tableau principal de l'ITF 35K de Nairobi, au Kenya. 🇰🇪
L'Egyptienne Hajar Abdelkader jouait visiblement pour la première fois de sa vie au tennis. 0 et 0. 3 points gagnés (exploit vu son niveau).pic.twitter.com/pYnGSrSy24
Of course, we’ve seen even elite players suffer shutout losses. Amanda Anisimova, now ranked No. 3, endured a double-bagel defeat to Iga Swiatek in the Wimbledon final last July.
Billionaire Bill Ackman, a recreational player, was widely criticized for playing Newport’s Hall of Fame classic last July. In retrospect, Ackman, even if his opponents were being kind and playing to him, looks like a Division I standout compared to Abdelkader.
This is the tennis equivalent of atonal music evoking novelist Joseph Conrad’s classic line: “The horror! The horror!”
If the stunning level of incompetence, even by beginner standards, makes you wonder how did she even get a wild card in the first place.
Well, here’s what Tennis Kenya says courtesy of Michelle Katami:
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
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