The sun, it’s just shining from the Australian sky. More than 33 degrees. There is no place to cool in the shade.
But Mishkat Ezzahra Asfi is undeterred by the heat — and it certainly hasn’t. The 17-year-old Iranian is fighting for her dream. She wants to become a professional tennis player.
In the second round of the junior Australian Open, Safi entered the court wearing a hijab, long-sleeved shirt and skinny pants. “I used to play in secret since I was nine. I will continue to do that too. It is a part of me,” she then explains. In Iran, women are required to wear a headscarf in public.
never give up
He lost the net match against Belgian Sofia Costolas (16) in two sets. But she made history a long time ago. She was the first Iranian to win a match at a major tournament, defeating Anja Nayyar of Australia 6-4, 6-3 in the first round. She is also the first player to wear a headscarf in such a tournament.
“Everyone told me it was impossible to go to a Grand Slam and that I would never do it.” Give up? never. Safi fighter. Her message: “Don’t give up on your dreams. Don’t listen to anyone saying that. At some point I didn’t tell anyone what I was going to do and just practiced.”
Her idols are Cristiano Ronaldo and Rafael Nadal. “Nadal brought me to tennis, Cristiano showed me how to deal with difficult situations. Safi says. And who knows: maybe one day the confident young woman will be seen as an idol even by athletes who are growing. (Mama)
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