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Mayar Sherif, the Egyptian tennis star, is making waves in the tennis world with her recent achievements and historic milestones. In a conversation with her psychologist, Sherif revealed her motivation to surpass Ismail El-Shafei’s career-high ranking of 34, which stood as the highest-ranking achieved by an Egyptian player in the Open era since 1975. Sherif’s determination and hard work paid off as she officially surpassed El-Shafei’s record, reaching a new career-high ranking of 31 in the world. This remarkable feat makes her the highest-ranked Egyptian tennis player among both men and women in the professional era.Sherif’s rise to prominence has been fueled by her recent successes in the WTA 125k circuit. With back-to-back titles in Makarska, Croatia, and Valencia, Spain, she enters the grass season with an impressive 10-match winning streak. Notably, Sherif holds a remarkable 6-0 record in WTA 125k finals and has won 41 out of 47 matches at that level.Her decision to prolong the clay season, her preferred surface, has proven fruitful, as she now stands on the verge of breaking into the top 30 in the world rankings. Sherif’s preference for clay has led her to play better on this surface than any other, and she is keen to make the most of the limited clay tournaments available on the WTA tour.As she shifts her focus to the grass-court season, Sherif acknowledges the challenges of playing on a surface she is less familiar with. However, she embraces the opportunity to approach the grass swing with a winning mentality and is excited to make her main draw debut at Wimbledon. With her new career-high ranking, Sherif is likely to be seeded at a Grand Slam for the first time.To prepare for the grass season, Sherif is working closely with her coach Justo Gonzalez to make the necessary physical and tactical adjustments. She acknowledges the importance of staying low and being agile on grass, which demands different skills compared to clay. Sherif is also planning to make a significant change by switching to a different model of Wilson racket, a bold move that could potentially enhance her game.With Wimbledon on the horizon, Sherif recalls her experience as a junior player at the prestigious club in 2012. Now, as a professional, she is eager to set foot on the Wimbledon courts and savor the experience. As she continues to climb the ranks and make history for Egyptian tennis, Sherif remains focused on her goals, embracing innovation and risk in her philanthropy, and striving for a more inclusive and equitable future for all.
