Break point: Saudi girls take to tennis courts
NEW TENNIS ACADEMIES IN SAUDI ARABIA ARE GIVING GIRLS LIKE ALIREZA A CHANCE TO INDULGE THEIR PASSION
On weekends, when Nejat Alireza wants to re-energise her body and clear her mind after a draining school week, she picks up her tennis gear and heads to the Sweet Spot Tennis Academy. “When I’m on the tennis court, I forget about everything. It’s where I release stress. Doing well on the court is both thrilling and relaxing,” Alireza, 17, told Gulf News.
The academy, which was started six years ago in Jeddah, is the first and only one endorsed by the Saudi Olympic Committee to train girls in Saudi Arabia.
Alireza was interested in sports from a very young age.
She was only five when she picked up the racquet for the first time, and started playing with her sports-loving parents at home. At age 10 her parents entrolled in the academy. “Nejat has always been athletic, and interested in sports, so I wanted to give her the opportunity to indulge her passion,” her mother, Nirmeen says.
Before games at the academy, players are required to exercise for two hours under the supervision of their coaches. “We work on our stamina by running laps with different footwork exercises. We also work on strengthening our muscles with body weight exercises such as planks, leg lifts, and handstands.”
The Sweet Spot Tennis Academy is the brainchild of Mariam Polding, a Jeddahbased Saudi entrepreneur with multiple businesses and a gym in Saudi Arabia and London.
“Sweet Spot Tennis Academy was created from my passion for tennis, sports and my belief that children, especially girls, should be inspired to love sports from a young age, and it should become part of their lives,” she told Gulf News.
Among a host of international coaches recruited to mentor the players at the academy, Alireza’s favourite is British national Jonathan Horn. “Coach Johnny improved my technique and taught me about the mental aspect of the game—something I never learned from other coaches. He taught me how to predict incoming shots from opponents, and how to position oneself on the court in response. I also learned how to hit the ball using its momentum, rather than simply straining my muscles,” she said.
Speaking to Gulf News, Horn says: “Women’s tennis here is at a good stage now and for men, it provides an alternative to football—the country’s most popular sport.”
At the academy, girl enrolment outnumbers boys 2:1.
When asked about her favourite professional tennis player, Alireza’s face lights up.
“Roger Federer. I admire him not only for his famous backhand and his ability to make tennis seem so effortless, but also because of his perseverance, composure during moments of failure, and humility.”
Alireza began playing competitively when she was 15.
She participated in and won a few tournaments in Bahrain. She has also taken part in tournaments organised by the Sweet Spot Tennis Academy.
Although Alireza is flying to America next year to pursue a course in molecular biology, she will not quit playing tennis. She hopes one day to play professionally for Saudi Arabia, if given an opportunity.
Sweet Spot Tennis Academy was created from my passion for tennis and my belief that children should be inspired to love sports from a young age.”
Mariam Polding |
Saudi entrepreneur