Mohamed Safwat became the first man from Egypt to play in a Grand Slam tennis tournament’s main draw in 22 years on Sunday — and he got very little notice that chance would come at the French Open.
Safwat got into the field as a “lucky loser,” someone who failed to make it out of the qualifying rounds but is given a berth when another player withdraws. In this case, Victor Troicki pulled out on Sunday because of an injured lower back.
So, the 182nd-ranked Safwat made his Grand Slam debut on Court Philippe Chatrier against No. 4-seeded Grigor Dimitrov. Not surprisingly, Dimitrov won 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 (1).
Dimitrov said he only found out he’d be playing Safwat about 20 minutes beforehand.
Safwat was cheered off the court in a rousing ovation. The last Egyptian man to play at a major tournament was Tamer El Sawy at the 1996 US Open.
“I only heard I was playing an hour before the match,” said Safwat. “I was warming up, I signed in as a lucky loser and I was told I might be on court at 11 o’clock. I dealt with it as best I could. I had never set foot on that court before.”
The 27-year-old had lost in the final round of qualifying to Guido Andreozzi of Argentina last week in what was his eighth futile attempt to make the main draw of the majors. A rule change this year has helped the cause of defeated qualifiers at the Slams. If a player withdraws injured before their scheduled first-round match, they still receive half the prize money while the lucky loser takes the other half. Safwat will pick up around $23,000 for his day’s work.
His career earnings of $350,000 pale in comparison to Dimitrov’s $15 million and he has won just one high-profile match in 2018 in the Davis Cup in February.
There was a world of difference between the two men on a sun-kissed center court on Sunday in the first two sets.
But Safwat, one of seven lucky losers in the men’s draw, then overcame blisters on his right hand to put up a solid challenge in the third set before Dimitrov raced through the tiebreaker for a 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 (7/1) win.
Dimitrov next faces either Jared Donaldson of the United States or Chile’s Nicolas Jarry.
Dimitrov was stunned by Tunisian wildcard Malek Jaziri in Dubai earlier this year, but he wasn’t in the mood to make the same mistake against another unheralded Arab opponent.
“I was warming up and my coach said, ‘hey look’ and we saw up on the board that I was playing a different opponent,” said 27-year-old Dimitrov, a former Wimbledon semifinalist who knew something of Safwat’s game from matches during their junior days.
“I didn’t expect that. I found out about 30 minutes before, but it is what it is. You have to be ready.”
Egypt ‘lucky loser’ gets shock French Open call to take on Grigor Dimitrov
Egypt ‘lucky loser’ gets shock French Open call to take on Grigor Dimitrov
- Mohamed Safwat becomes first Egyptian to play at a slam event in more than two decades
- He loses in straights sets to No. 4 seed but picks up $23,000 for his efforts
Macron congratulates Mohammed Ben Sulayem on reelection as FIA’s president
- French president gives assurance of his determination to continue strengthening historic partnership
DUBAI: Mohammed Ben Sulayem, the president of the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile, also known as the FIA, has been congratulated on his reelection to the post by French President Emmanuel Macron, who also gave an assurance of his determination to continue strengthening the historic partnership between France and the FIA.
In a letter to Ben Sulayem, Macron said: “I would like to extend my warmest congratulations on your reelection as president of the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), following the vote held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on Dec. 12.
“In this regard, and further to our recent meeting at the Elysee Palace alongside other representatives of the automotive world, please be assured of my determination to continue strengthening the historic partnership between France and the FIA.
“Wishing you every success in this new term of office, please accept ... the assurance of my highest regards.”
The meeting at the Elysee Palace in November highlighted shared priorities of the FIA and France across motorsport, road safety, mobility, and the protection of young people online.
France holds a unique place in the federation’s history with the FIA’s headquarters situated in Paris, and this was further highlighted during the meeting as the FIA confirmed the renewal of its commitment to France as one of its key centres of excellence.
Speaking at length, the leaders celebrated France’s pivotal role in global motorsport, from historic events such as the Paris–Rouen Trial in 1894 to the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which continues to attract thousands of spectators and generates significant impact, supporting over 1,000 full-time jobs and contributing about $190 million to the French economy.
Macron and Ben Sulayem also discussed France’s representation in the FIA Formula One Championship, the French talent competing across the FIA World Championships, the contributions of French manufacturers and promoters in shaping international motorsport, and support for the facilitation of visas for global FIA delegates attending meetings in Paris.
Macron and Ben Sulayem were joined by Yann de Pontbriand — president of the Automobile Club de France, one of the FIA’s original members and the world’s first automobile club, which was founded in 1895 — and Pierre Gosselin, president of the Federation Francaise du Sport Automobile.
The parties discussed the central role clubs play alongside the FIA in promoting safe and responsible mobility and motorsport, alongside France’s historic contribution to the sectors.
Macron and Ben Sulayem exchanged views on initiatives to make mobility safer, more affordable, and more sustainable, such as the newly launched FIA Driver Safety Index, a first-of-its-kind global benchmark developed to measure and compare driver risk using cutting-edge AI technology.
Protecting young drivers and promoting respect online was another key topic. The leaders discussed the FIA’s United Against Online Abuse campaign, which aligns closely with France’s policies on social media safety for children.
