After tennis players from Russia and Belarus were banned by the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) from playing the Wimbledon Championships, the UK government has seemingly denied entry to an Iranian player for alleged political reasons.
Meshkatolzahra Safi is 17 years old. Last January she made tennis history at the Australian Open Juniors and then followed up by also playing at Roland-Garros for the French Open. Now, while the junior event is happening at Wimbledon, she had to withdraw because the UK government did not grant her a visa in a timely manner which would have allowed her to travel to London for the tournament at SW19.
The Iranian prodigy, currently ranked 76 in the ITF junior rankings, was set to compete in the junior qualifying draw, which started on Thursday, June 30.
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At the Australian Open, Safi caught the attention of many of the world’s tennis media; she became the first junior ever from Iran to win a match at one of the junior majors. On top of that she was also the first hijab-clad player to participate at a one of the four majors – Australian Open, Roland-Garros, Wimbledon and US Open.
When she played at Roland-Garros there was a strong belief that she would get the chance to play at Wimbledon. However, sadly and disappointingly her dreams were dashed because with no visa she could not make the flight to London.
“It was my dream to play in Wimbledon,” a tearful Safi said. “To play one of the most prestigious tennis tournaments in the world is what every tennis player thinks about.
“Right after my loss at the French Open, my mum and I along with my coach flew to Dubai to apply for a UK Visa. I submitted my documents and invitation letters a month ago, but unfortunately my visa was not issued.”
The visa had been applied for with plenty of time to spare. It was certainly not a late or last-minute application.
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At the time of writing, it is still unclear as to why the Home Office had not issued the Iranian teenager a visa. Her agent, Amir Sadri, believes there may be a political motive behind the decision, as much as he hope that is not the case.
“It’s a sad day for sports in general and for Iran tennis,” Sadri wrote on his Instagram.
“Meshkat had to pull out of the tournament because the UK government did not give her a visit visa on time, Sadly, it also appears there was no assistance from tournament organisers to help with the situation.
“It is sad to think how politics affects so many people’s lives, their dreams, their careers and their ambitions.
“I am so proud of Meshkat Safi. She has shown that regardless of all the hardships and the difficulties, everything is possible. She may not get the chance to step on the sacred grass of Wimbledon, and follow in the footsteps of so many legends that have done so in the past, but she can hold your head up high knowing that what she has achieved for women’s sports, for inclusion and for diversity across our region as a Muslim athlete
“It is a great achievement. Keep going young lady. This is just another reason for her to carry on believing and continuing on her path to achieving even greater things. I shall be there with her all the way. The dream continues. Politics should not be a barrier for sports.”
Whether the decision has to do with politics or not, it is no secret that the relationship between Iran and the UK has always been strained. It was the case in a most recent dispute over the Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe case, a British-Iranian aid worker who was detained in Iran for six years on espionage charges.
As a female athlete coming from a Muslim country in the Middle East, Safi is no stranger to adversities and her career has been one continuous battle to prove that the people who say her dreams are too big to achieve have got it wrong.
“I have come a long way to get to this point,” Safi said at the Australian Open. “Playing professional tennis is not easy in my country. In Iran, when I talked about playing at a grand slam, no one took me seriously. But thankfully my perseverance paid off in the end. So, I want to tell everyone that don’t give up on your dreams.”
Safi, who is Iran’s first top-100 junior player, got into tennis at age nine when she watched a Rafael Nadal match on television. That was unusual in itself because State TV rarely broadcasts tennis matches in Iran.
During the Australian Open, Safi had a chance to meet her idol, Rafael Nadal, and took a picture with him. The picture went viral in national social media, bringing her fame overnight and local media outlets rushed to interview her.
“It was a dream come true moment for me because Rafa is my role model and someone who I have always looked up to growing up. I always wanted to meet him and take pictures with him. We had a little chat, and it was a joyful experience,” she said.
Safi’s story has inspired her peers in Iran to step up and dream big, that they can also leave a mark on tennis’ biggest stage. Even players older than her started to take part in more international competitions after her success.
The Iranian teenager turns 18 in August and her last chance to play in a Grand Slam Juniors comes later this year at the US Open, where she has to clear another visa hurdle before being able to step on the court.
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