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TENNIS

Hady Habib first Lebanese player to win a Grand Slam match

The 23-year-old Lebanese player defeated the Chinese player Yunchaokete Bu (ranked 65th in the world) 7-6, 6-4, 7-6.

Hady Habib first Lebanese player to win a Grand Slam match

Lebanese tennis player Hady Habib during a tournament against China's Yunchaokete Bu in Melbourne, on Jan. 12, 2025. (Credit: Paul Crock/AFP)

BEIRUT — Hady Habib's victory in the first round of the Australian Open in Melbourne has made him the first Lebanese player to win a Grand Slam single tournament in the Open era, a historic moment for Lebanese tennis.

The 26-year-old Lebanese player, who represented Lebanon at the 2024 Paris Olympics and is ranked outside the top 200 on the ATP Tour, secured his first win on Sunday by defeating the Chinese player Yunchaokete Bu (ranked 65th in the world) 7-6, 6-4, 7-6.

“This is probably one of the best days of my career, honestly," Habib said following the match, cited by the Associated Press. "It’s such an incredible feeling to get this win — not only for myself but for Lebanon and Lebanese tennis.”

“As you guys could see there, the crowd was absolutely wild. It made it even more special to win in front of them. ... I felt the energy out there.”

The New York Times sports column described the scene, Lebanese flags lining the court and Habib holding one aloft following the game. Having made history, Habib now has his sights on bigger wins. “I think it would be better if I played on a bigger court,” he said in his news conference. “So that more Lebanese people can come out and watch me.”

After winning three qualifying rounds of the Australian Open tennis, Habib will now advance to the main draw of a Grand Slam tournament. He had won over the French player Clément Chidekh with a score of 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (10/8), the American Patrick Kypson (6-4, 7-6) and the Taiwanese Chun Hsin Tseng with the same score.

After the match, Lebanon's new president, Joseph Aoun, congratulated Habib on his “historic victory.” Lebanese sporting achievements, particularly that of the tennis player, “contribute to raising the name of Lebanon," Aoun reportedly said, as cited by the state-run National News Agency.

Habib also set a milestone last summer with his participation in the men's singles tennis tournament at the 2024 Paris Olympics on the clay courts of Roland-Garros. It was a first for Lebanese tennis, which had never sent any representative until then to an Olympiad. He competed against the current world number three player, Carlos Alcaraz, in a packed Suzanne-Lenglen court.

BEIRUT — Hady Habib's victory in the first round of the Australian Open in Melbourne has made him the first Lebanese player to win a Grand Slam single tournament in the Open era, a historic moment for Lebanese tennis. The 26-year-old Lebanese player, who represented Lebanon at the 2024 Paris Olympics and is ranked outside the top 200 on the ATP Tour, secured his first win on Sunday by defeating...