She passed very close to a huge sensation. But Mayar Sherif lost with honors in the first round of Roland Garros, on the Central, against Karolina Pliskova (6-7, 6-2, 6-4 in 2h15). A relative disappointment because the 172nd in the world made history by becoming the first Egyptian to play a Grand Slam match.
Mayar Sherif got his ticket for Roland Garros all alone, going through three qualifying rounds. A dream and a pride for Egypt and for the whole Arab world, which already lived at the beginning of the year with the quarter-final of the Tunisian Ons Jabeur at the Australian Open. The only Egyptian to have played in a women’s main circuit tournament was until then Marwa Elwany, invited to the Cairo tournament in 1999.
Born May 5, 1996, Mayar Sherif spent her childhood in Cairo, and followed Roland-Garros, her favorite tournament, in front of her television. His best memory? The 2009 final and Roger Federer’s victory over Robin Soderling. She remembers jumping for joy in front of her screen. Three years later, aged 16, she lost in the first round of the Juniors at the Paris tournament. What followed were tournaments in the lower divisions, the university circuit in the United States (with Pepperdine University in Malibu, Florida), and … 71 straight victories in 2019. She even won gold at the Games. African singles and doubles alongside his sister, Rana. In a few months, it went from unranked to 172nd in the world.
“Certain to replay one day on the Central”
His game? A good setback, intelligent variations and even sometimes surprising but above all courage. She thus saved eight set points in the first round of her lost match against Karolina Pliskova, world No. 5 and semi-finalist in 2017! With her flashy yellow t-shirt and matching sneakers, Mayar was boosted at the start of the third set, with great shouts and clenched fists: but she logically cracked in the seventh game of the last set.
At 24, Sherif has now decided to take big steps forward and now wants to reach the Top 100. “I hope to come back to Roland next year … and I am sure to play again one day at the Central”, she slipped. She will also play the Olympic Games in 2021 in Tokyo.
