抖阴短视频

ABU DHABI: The last couple of months have admittedly been 鈥渟urreal鈥� for Saudi tennis player Yara Alhogbani.

The 19-year-old got to witness live tennis matches between Ons Jabeur and Aryna Sabalenka, and Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz, at home in Riyadh, for the very first time. She interacted with the stars and was given the opportunity to hit and talk with them.

She also met Rafael Nadal, who was announced as an ambassador for the Saudi Tennis Federation and has committed to helping the Kingdom develop young talent in the sport and is planning on opening an academy in Saudi.

The Next Gen ATP Finals were held in Jeddah in December, marking the first time a sanctioned tennis tournament had been staged in 抖阴短视频, and it is believed the WTA Finals 鈥� the prestigious season finale of the women鈥檚 tour 鈥� will find a new home in Riyadh, with an official announcement expected soon.

Alhogbani told Arab News: 鈥淭hat would definitely change lives. There are people that have dreamed of that for a long time. I think maybe 200,000 people were in the queue online to get tickets to even see an exhibition, so imagine the WTA Finals.

鈥淓specially for females, not only in tennis but I think in sports in general, that would definitely change lives and open a lot of people鈥檚 eyes and encourage more sport and a healthy lifestyle.鈥�

Alhogbani noted that recent developments in tennis in 抖阴短视频 were already having a major impact on children in the Kingdom and she was thrilled to see how engaged the top stars were when they took part in clinics and shared their knowledge.

She said: 鈥淚 think having Ons, a big idol of mine, I鈥檓 sure to all of us in the Middle East, being there against Sabalenka, that was something I never imagined could happen a while back.

鈥淎nd seeing that there were a lot of people there, it was sold out; and I didn鈥檛 expect that. So, having more of these kinds of matches, tournaments, it鈥檚 going to help grow the sport and it would really be nice to have a lot of those WTA tournaments there. They have no idea what kind of impact they can make on us.

鈥淚 got to speak with Ons, she鈥檚 so kind-hearted, so down-to-earth, such a great role model that we have.

鈥淎nd then obviously Novak Djokovic. Before, I was a little intimidated by him, and then I met him, and he was just so awesome. And he cared so much, which is also what made me love him even more, he cared so much about and was so curious about tennis in Saudi.

鈥淗e was asking so many questions, and I just felt super noticed and appreciated, which felt nice, especially by him. I鈥檓 sure a lot more kids signed up for tennis after that,鈥� she added.

Alhogbani will be having another pinch-me-moment this weekend in Abu Dhabi, where she has been awarded a wildcard to contest the qualifying rounds of a WTA 500 tournament. It will be the teenager鈥檚 first experience at this level, and she is hoping to make the most of it.

鈥淭his is definitely a dream come true. I think on the way back yesterday from practice, I was on the shuttle bus, and I was sort of crying from happiness.

鈥淪o yeah, it feels surreal, almost, I wouldn鈥檛 say a dream, it鈥檚 like a fever dream, because you don鈥檛 really dream about your actual dreams.

鈥淚鈥檓 super happy to have the opportunity to represent my country, females from my country, especially in tennis. I鈥檝e dreamed of this for such a long time. And this is also something that I鈥檝e been striving to be. So, having this opportunity is a big deal for me,鈥� she said.

In her junior career, Alhogbani won one singles title and two in doubles before ageing out and transitioning to the professional tour. She is still finding her footing at the senior level and has yet to devise a concrete plan for the rest of the season.

In Abu Dhabi, she is accompanied by her brother Ammar, who has served as her coach on the trips they have taken together to tournaments.

They made history as 抖阴短视频鈥檚 first ever mixed doubles team at the Asian Games in Hangzhou last fall.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 really have a set coach. I鈥檓 usually just traveling with my brother. We鈥檙e doing it together.

鈥淲e travel for some futures, and we ask the tournament director if we cannot play at the same time. And he鈥檒l (Ammar) sit and wait with me for my match and when my match is done, he鈥檒l go warm up for his and then I鈥檒l go and support him.

鈥淚t鈥檚 nice to have my brother because I can yell at him, he can yell at me and it鈥檚 fine. And it鈥檚 just definitely emotional support. I have six brothers and Ammar is the closest to me. We have a good connection, and we help each other a lot on the court,鈥� she added.

Alhogbani鈥檚 Asian Games did not go as planned, as she lost easily in the opening round of the singles. But she is hoping to do better in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, where she takes on world No. 55 Sara Sorribes Tormo of Spain.

鈥淟ast time, I was at the Asian Games. I had a bit of a, I wouldn鈥檛 say, I don鈥檛 know how to describe it. I wouldn鈥檛 say a mental breakdown, but I think the pressure got to me. It was the first time in history that we had a Saudi female tennis player playing there and I just felt the pressure.

鈥淪o, I didn鈥檛 have a good match there, I didn鈥檛 have a good run and I felt super defeated. And I promised myself after that match that next time I have the opportunity like that to represent, I would give it my all and feel like I have nothing to lose. Because, honestly, I really don鈥檛,鈥� Alhogbani said.

Irrespective of the result, she is soaking up every moment of her time in the UAE capital, where she gets to rub shoulders with some of the biggest names in the women鈥檚 game. Besides her admiration for Tunisian player Jabeur, Alhogbani pointed out that she was also a huge fan of four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka, of Japan.

鈥淚 think I saw her this morning at breakfast, and I was just like, 鈥榦h my God,鈥� like I couldn鈥檛 even finish my breakfast. I literally love her so much,鈥� she added.

Alhogbani admitted that the difference in level between the pros and juniors was 鈥渟hocking鈥� to her, but she was hoping to gain match confidence as she contested more events on a consistent basis.

She has several goals but perhaps her biggest dream was to make a real positive impact on the tennis community in 抖阴短视频.

She said: 鈥淎side from my own personal goals of wanting to, you know I think everyone says, I want to be world No. 1, and obviously that was a dream of mine as a little kid. But I think just truly what I want now is to be an established player on the tour. That鈥檚 my goal.

鈥淏ut off the court, I want to have more of a tennis community all over Saudi, not just where people have to travel from different cities to come to maybe the capital to get that.

鈥淵ou know, Rafa (Nadal) is having an academy. It鈥檇 be nice if we had academies all throughout Saudi, had a tennis community.

鈥淎nd it鈥檚 different to have an academy and to have a community. In a tennis community you push each other, you help each other, you learn a lot.

鈥淓specially from my own experience, I鈥檓 in Saudi and I鈥檓 playing and I鈥檓 practicing with great coaches and my brother and it鈥檚 great, but it鈥檚 just like, you really need that community, and it really helps you.

鈥淪o, I want to see more tennis going on, and a lot of tennis communities throughout Saudi. And then just have that accessible to everyone and not be super exclusive. With this, I鈥檓 sure we鈥檒l have players on the tour soon if we have access to these things,鈥� Alhogbani added.