Australian Open: Two girls put Iran and Kenya on the tennis map
Meshkatolzhara Safi and Angella Okutoyi made tennis history at the Australian Open. The two juniors from Iran and Kenya became the first players in their country to win a match at a Grand Slam tournament.
by Jens Huiber
last edit: Jan 24, 2022, 03:16 pm
Anyone who thinks of none other than the great tennis entertainer Mansour Bahrami when they hear the keywords “tennis” and “Iran” may have to reset their compass for the near future. With Meshkatolzhara Safi, a young Iranian is preparing to cause a sensation in the big traveling circus. In Melbourne, Safi became the first woman from Iran to win a match in one of the four majors, in the junior women's competition.
Safi, 17 and currently No. 74 in the world junior rankings, defeated Australian qualifier Anja Nayar 6-4, 6-3 in round one and now plays eighth-seeded Belgium's Sofia Costoulas.
Safi's path towards professional tennis and the Australian Open 2022 was not easy. Her sports-loving parents knew next to nothing about tennis, Safi explained to journalist Reem Abulleil after her first-round success. The fact that she has to play with a hat and long-sleeved undergarments has been familiar to her since she was nine - but it doesn't make things any easier in the Australian summer heat. In addition, it is not easy to get the necessary visas to take part in tournaments.
At least Angella Okutoyi does not have these religious limitations. But the fact that a player from Kenya is preparing to get involved in the tennis tour is just as remarkable as the exciting journey of Meshkatolzhara Safi.
Here is the individual tableau for the juniors
laver arena