Issue No. 596
Sports
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25 - 31 July 2002 Issue No. 596 Sports |
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Half-time
Beating the odds
The international tennis scene is in awe of the tale of two exceptionally talented sisters: the Williams sisters. And rightly so -- their young resumes are littered with tennis awards and accomplishments. Egypt has two sisters of its own. Not as talented, and definitely not as promising, but even if they were, they would not even have the chance to become the Williams sisters of the Middle East.
They are Rawya and Shaimaa Seif. According to their results, the two players are the best women tennis players in Egypt today. Rawya was the youngest participant in the World Women's Championship that was held in Turkey last year. She started her international career at the age of 13 when she won the bronze medal at the Arab championships -- despite playing in the under 18 event -- becoming the surprise of the tournament.
Rawya is ranked second under 16, third under 18, and seventh in the women's category. She has smashed to smithereens top Egyptian players Dalia El-Sheikh and Sarah Abaza. Her sister, Shaimaa, has mirroring achievements to her name in her own age category.
The key to their current success? The fact, it appears, that they are coached by their father; Captain Seif -- a well-known tennis coach who trained Russia's Nadia Petrova -- an internationally ranked junior.
It seems odd to many that two daughters would do so well under their father's watchful tennis eye -- a relationship known to the world to result in fireworks and strife. Seif, however, seems to be one of those rare tennis types. Rare, especially, to the Egyptian tennis world.
Unlike those typical of the sports scene in Egypt, Seif's mentality is different from the steadfast bureaucratic mentalities of most local sports officials. Most Egyptians, time has told and re-told, care for education and certificates; setting achievement in sports far to the side. Seif, however, believes that education is not important at all. Most of the world's top women tennis players, he argues, did not complete their education. And he emphasizes "top": Steffi Graf, Monica Seles, and Martina Hingis, to name a few. They stopped, he explained, at a certain educational level, and instead, concentrated on their chosen sport. That, he says, is the reason they become the top players in the world; gaining fame, glory, and sizable bank accounts.
Rawya, 16, just obtained her Thanawya Amma with high grades. Seif says he is more than ready to postpone her university studies for the sake of developing her talent and propelling her, he hopes, into the ranks of the international pro tour.
They have the potential, and they have, he affirms, the parental backing. The problem, he says, is the nation's support; neither the Egyptian Tennis Federation nor the Ministry of Youth have lent a helping hand. Rather than helping these two young girls pursue their dreams, the two governing bodies, he insists, and hindering and hampering their progress. They are actually placing obstacles in their way. Being the second ranked player in Egypt, Rawya had the right to participate in the Arab Championship without qualifications, but the federation insisted that she competes for a place in the draw -- which Seif refused on principle. Rawya was denied the participation, and on principle, is refraining from taking part in any of the federation's future events.
Seif, however, is trying very hard to train his two daughters away from the routine and the federation; working hard to fulfill his long-awaited dream. He is seeking the support of the Ministry of Youth for three years -- financing he needs to help his daughters turn pro abroad and train in Spain, Slovakia or the Czech -- countries known to churn-out the best tennis players in the world. Seif is sure that given that chance, the three years of training would send Rawya into the top 500 in the first year, the top 300 in the second year, and the top 100 in the third.
It is a dream that the local tennis community is refusing to acknowledge, and many critique his enthusiasm at his two daughter's talents, saying that it is an unrealistic assessment and unreachable desire. In a way, the public may be right given the age of the teenagers and the fact that they are getting "older" in the modernised tennis world. That, however, is not the point. The point is the hope, the dream, and the willingness to try. Surely, the country should allow its young sportsmen and women to dream? Without a chance, after all, how will anyone, ever, beat the odds?
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