“Growing up, the notion of an Arab girl aspiring to become a professional athlete was literally unheard of,” reflects Fatma Al Nabhani, whose love for tennis began the age of four. A lithe figure with an undeniable sense of glamour, at 25, Al Nabhani’s year saw her charter new territory as a professional athlete with attempts to qualify for the 2016 Rio Olympics, celebrations at the Finals in Las Palmas and Casablanca, and her current preparations underway for the Arab Tennis Championships. “I’m still hanging on and trying to grab a single title for 2016,” she says.
Turn back a few decades, and for all but the most liberal of Omani families, the female stereotype aligned with marriage, children and domestic duties. A career came second place, much less a career as a professional athlete. Yet, Al Nabhani grew up in what she describes as a ‘tennis family’, which is now in its third generation – her brother, a professional tennis player, was her muse while her mother is her coach, mentor and greatest supporter. “I played my first tournament at nine years old; it was the West Asian Championships Under 13s, and I won two gold and two silver medals. From there, I knew that I wanted to be a professional tennis player,” she enthuses.
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And, while her peers considered careers in more conventional disciplines, Al Nabhani disrupted the status quo and refused to let her love for her sport waver. “I was the only female tennis player around. I didn’t have the right team or facilities to train with,” she admits. Of course, in Europe and the US, tennis plays a large part in the culture, so aspiring players are equipped with coaching, physiotherapy and crucially, community understanding. Training professionally is tough for most teenagers, but in Muscat, where the sport is still finding favour, the experience was an isolating one, the infrastructure and potential partners were simply not there. “For me, the biggest challenge was being the only person in the fray,” Al Nabhani admits. “I didn’t have a training partner or professional support system when I started out.”
In the Middle East, we are becoming increasingly aware of the many fit, smart and nuanced women like Al Nabhani, who are offering an alternative model. The epitome of power and prowess, what she has managed to do is change the image of the female tennis player in her region – and today, she is not alone. Stories of women like Raha Moharrak, the youngest Arab to summit Mount Everest, and Elnaz Rekabi, Iran’s multiple-award winning rock climber, are becoming typical of the new generation. “Young Arab women need to know that nothing is beyond their reach,” she stresses. “Whether it’s running a 10k or winning the Grand Slam, it’s important for us to know that we can aim and achieve.”
