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It’s hard to imagine how Lebanese tennis player Hady Habib could have got ‘his’ Olympic Games off to a worse start. Of all the possible opponents, he had to come up against Carlos Alcaraz. The Spaniard is the best player on the world circuit at the moment and has just won back-to-back French Open and Wimbledon titles.
Left to fend for himself in the draw, the 25-year-old Lebanese will be aiming to limit the damage against his formidable opponent on Saturday at 1.00 pm (Beirut time) on Court Suzanne Lenglen.
However, an injury withdrawal has opened up a last-minute opportunity in the singles event for the world number 259.
Less than four weeks ago, Lebanese tennis player Hady Habib had no chance of taking part in the Paris Olympics.
He was ranked in the 250-300 category, well outside the threshold for inclusion on the list of participants in the Olympic Games, and was making his way on the Challenger circuit, where he had recently reached his first final. Then a surprising email landed in his inbox.
Wildcard Invitation
Habib was informed by the Lebanese Tennis Federation that he had received a universality place (a wildcard invitation given to under-represented countries at the Games) to compete in doubles alongside his compatriot Benjamin Hassan at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
‘I was taken by surprise. I was just very happy and proud to be able to say I was an Olympian,’ Habib told The National in a telephone interview from the French capital on Thursday. But he was in for an even bigger surprise. Hubert Hurkacz, world number 7, announced on Tuesday that he was forced to withdraw from the Olympics due to an injury sustained at Wimbledon earlier this month. As it turns out, Habib was the first available alternate to replace him in the singles draw and the 25-year-old Lebanese now finds himself competing in both singles and doubles at the Olympics, at the iconic venue of Roland Garros no less.
‘Honestly, it’s a dream come true,’ said Habib, who was born in Texas. He even said before the Games that he dreamed of facing a giant of the circuit. His (nightmare) dream has come true.
For his part, the second Lebanese player in the Olympic tennis tournament, Benjamin Hassan, will take on the American Chris Eubanks at 1.00 pm on Court 7.
Finally, at 4.45 pm, table tennis player Mariana Sahakian, the reigning Lebanese champion, will enter the fray.
Here is the timetable for the participation of Lebanese athletes in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games (Beirut times):
Tennis :
Men’s singles :
-Hady Habib vs Carlos Alcaraz on 27 July at 1.00 pm
-Benjamin Hassan vs Chris Eubanks on 27 July at 1.00 pm
Men’s doubles :
-Hady Habib and Benjamin Hassan vs Matthew Ebden and John Peers (Aus), 29 July
Table tennis :
Mariana Sahakian: 27 July at 4.45 pm
Swimming :
Lynn el Hajj: 28 July at 1.00 pm
Simon Doueihy: 30 July at 12.00 noon
Fencing :
Philippe Wakim: 29 July at 10.25 am
Shooting: Ray Bassil
Ray Bassil: 30 July at 10.00 am
Judo :
Caramnob Sagaipov: 31 July at 11.00 am
Athletics :
Marc-Anthony Ibrahim: 7 August at 12.55 pm
Taekwondo:
Laeticia Aoun: 8 August at 10.00 am
