Lebanese tennis player Hady Habib's first experience of playing on grass in England was about as stereotypical as it gets.
In preparation for his first crack at Wimbledon qualifying this week, the 26-year-old took part in a Challenger tournament in Ilkley, a leafy spa town some 300km north-west of London, where the fabled Grand Slam takes place from June 30-July 13.
Due to bad weather, Habib played a two-hour, three-set match split across two days. He clocked a whopping 27 aces but lost the match. He won two matches in doubles before losing in the semi-finals.
For Habib, it was a new adventure.
“The first two days that I got here, I only got an hour and a half of practice because it was raining. And something I didn't know on grass is when it rains, it kind of affects it for a while because you can't play on wet grass,” Habib told The National in an interview over Zoom from Ilkley.
“Some courts are covered, but the practice courts aren't. So even after they stopped my match, because my match took two days, before I stepped on to play the third set [the following day], I almost wasn't even going to warm up. They were going to give us a 10-minute warm-up.
“But I managed to squeeze a warm-up in because the practice courts dried. It's a new experience for me. You hear about the rain delays in Wimbledon and how it's just always raining there.
“It's so sensitive. During our match, it started to drizzle, and then we both started slipping and sliding everywhere. I looked at the ref, I'm like, ‘Is this a slip and slide now or what?’”
During our match, it started to drizzle, and then we both started slipping and sliding everywhere. I looked at the ref, I'm like, ‘Is this a slip and slide now or what?’
Hady Habib
Rain showers aside, Habib says he enjoyed his first outing on grass at Ilkley and was encouraged by his first experience on the surface.
“It's pretty nice to just see a field of grass courts. You're out in the nature, and there's greenery all around,” he added.
“Going to my first hit, I didn't know what to expect, because I've never played on a real grass court in my life. The closest thing I've actually played on was synthetic grass, but it's not even close to a real grass court.
“But yeah, for my first hits, I just noticed how fast the ball was coming at me, because on grass, the ball skids off the court, so I just had to adjust to that while I was practising.”
In Ilkley, Habib fell 6-4, 6-7, 6-3 to 19-year-old Spaniard Martin Landaluce.
“Unfortunately, I lost, but it was a good experience for me, learning to adapt. You just have to stay lower to the ground because the balls are just not bouncing as high. It was fun. I really enjoyed playing on grass. I think it suits my game. The last match, I hit about 27 aces, which is just pretty not normal,” said Habib.
“That's why I think my game would suit grass. I serve well, I kind of hit my spots. And if you hit your spots on grass, and you have good power on the serve, you know, you feel like the best servers do so well on grass court, and now I understand why. Because it's so fast, it's really almost impossible to return.
“So, yeah, there's been a few adjustments I need to make. And I hope this is going to prepare me the best for Wimbledon.”
Habib is riding the crest of a wave after securing a first Challenger title at the end of last season. A historic run at the Australian Open earlier this year – where he became the first Lebanese in the Open Era to qualify for a Grand Slam and to win a main draw match in singles – his ranking is now high enough to get him into the qualifying rounds of some of the biggest tournaments in the world, including Wimbledon.
The tennis tour makes an abrupt switch from clay to grass after the French Open each June, with just three weeks separating Roland Garros from Wimbledon.
The grass swing is short, and features a limited number of tournaments at both the ATP and Challenger levels. Those events can be difficult to get into, and if a player’s ranking isn’t high enough to at least make it into the Wimbledon qualifying draw, the logical option is to skip the grass season altogether and instead choose to play on clay or hard courts.
That has been the case for Habib the past few years; but this season is different.
Ranked 163 in the world and rising, Habib has a reason to lace up his grass-court shoes, with an opportunity to fight for a main draw spot at Wimbledon on the line.
To make it to the All England Club, he must win three qualifying rounds at the Community Sport Centre Roehampton, the host venue for Wimbledon’s qualifying tournament.
“Someone told me the other day that I'm not going to be actually playing at Wimbledon. I was like, ‘Oh, what a bummer’. I didn't know qualifying was somewhere else.”
Many players have said the fact that the qualifying rounds are played at a location that is a 15-minute drive away from the All England Club provides even extra motivation for them to qualify, in order to gain access to the hallowed lawns at SW19.
“It’s going to be the Hunger Games over there,” joked Habib.
This time last year, Habib was competing in a series of Challenger Tour events on clay in South America.
In 2025, he got to play at tournaments he had only previously watched on TV, like the Australian Open, Roland Garros, Indian Wells, Miami, Doha and Dubai.
“Whenever you're doing something for the first time, you're just kind of learning new things. It was different for me, playing last year tournaments that are not even close to these. So being able to compete at these events, seeing all these top 50 players around you, it's a new thing. And you can learn a lot from those experiences,” he explained.
“And of course, those events, the matches are bigger. You play for bigger points, more prize money. So there's a lot more on the line. And that's something also you need to learn how to manage and deal with.
“So it's a process. And I'm still, it being my first time, I'm still trying to use this experience and get better each time I play these big events.”
Wimbledon qualifying will take place from Monday June 23 to Thursday June 26 and will feature three men representing Arab countries: Lebanese duo Habib and Benjamin Hassan, as well as Tunisia’s Aziz Dougaz.
The women’s main draw will include Tunisian two-time Wimbledon finalist Ons Jabeur and Egyptian Mayar Sherif.
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Mica
Director: Ismael Ferroukhi
Stars: Zakaria Inan, Sabrina Ouazani
3 stars
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Keep it fun and engaging
Stuart Ritchie, director of wealth advice at AES International, says children cannot learn something overnight, so it helps to have a fun routine that keeps them engaged and interested.
“I explain to my daughter that the money I draw from an ATM or the money on my bank card doesn’t just magically appear – it’s money I have earned from my job. I show her how this works by giving her little chores around the house so she can earn pocket money,” says Mr Ritchie.
His daughter is allowed to spend half of her pocket money, while the other half goes into a bank account. When this money hits a certain milestone, Mr Ritchie rewards his daughter with a small lump sum.
He also recommends books that teach the importance of money management for children, such as The Squirrel Manifesto by Ric Edelman and Jean Edelman.
Coffee: black death or elixir of life?
It is among the greatest health debates of our time; splashed across newspapers with contradicting headlines - is coffee good for you or not?
Depending on what you read, it is either a cancer-causing, sleep-depriving, stomach ulcer-inducing black death or the secret to long life, cutting the chance of stroke, diabetes and cancer.
The latest research - a study of 8,412 people across the UK who each underwent an MRI heart scan - is intended to put to bed (caffeine allowing) conflicting reports of the pros and cons of consumption.
The study, funded by the British Heart Foundation, contradicted previous findings that it stiffens arteries, putting pressure on the heart and increasing the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke, leading to warnings to cut down.
Numerous studies have recognised the benefits of coffee in cutting oral and esophageal cancer, the risk of a stroke and cirrhosis of the liver.
The benefits are often linked to biologically active compounds including caffeine, flavonoids, lignans, and other polyphenols, which benefit the body. These and othetr coffee compounds regulate genes involved in DNA repair, have anti-inflammatory properties and are associated with lower risk of insulin resistance, which is linked to type-2 diabetes.
But as doctors warn, too much of anything is inadvisable. The British Heart Foundation found the heaviest coffee drinkers in the study were most likely to be men who smoked and drank alcohol regularly.
Excessive amounts of coffee also unsettle the stomach causing or contributing to stomach ulcers. It also stains the teeth over time, hampers absorption of minerals and vitamins like zinc and iron.
It also raises blood pressure, which is largely problematic for people with existing conditions.
So the heaviest drinkers of the black stuff - some in the study had up to 25 cups per day - may want to rein it in.
Rory Reynolds
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
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ADCC AFC Women’s Champions League Group A fixtures
October 3: v Wuhan Jiangda Women’s FC
October 6: v Hyundai Steel Red Angels Women’s FC
October 9: v Sabah FA
THE BIO:
Sabri Razouk, 74
Athlete and fitness trainer
Married, father of six
Favourite exercise: Bench press
Must-eat weekly meal: Steak with beans, carrots, broccoli, crust and corn
Power drink: A glass of yoghurt
Role model: Any good man
MATCH INFO
Inter Milan 2 (Vecino 65', Barella 83')
Verona 1 (Verre 19' pen)
Fifa%20World%20Cup%20Qatar%202022%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFirst%20match%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENovember%2020%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFinal%2016%20round%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDecember%203%20to%206%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EQuarter-finals%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDecember%209%20and%2010%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESemi-finals%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDecember%2013%20and%2014%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFinal%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDecember%2018%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
BACK%20TO%20ALEXANDRIA
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More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Employment lawyer Meriel Schindler of Withers Worldwide shares her tips on achieving equal pay
Do your homework
Make sure that you are being offered a fair salary. There is lots of industry data available, and you can always talk to people who have come out of the organisation. Where I see people coming a cropper is where they haven’t done their homework.
Don’t be afraid to negotiate
It’s quite standard to negotiate if you think an offer is on the low side. The job is unlikely to be withdrawn if you ask for money, and if that did happen I’d question whether you want to work for an employer who is so hypersensitive.
Know your worth
Women tend to be a bit more reticent to talk about their achievements. In my experience they need to have more confidence in their own abilities – men will big up what they’ve done to get a pay rise, and to compete women need to turn up the volume.
Work together
If you suspect men in your organisation are being paid more, look your boss in the eye and say, “I want you to assure me that I’m paid equivalent to my peers”. If you’re not getting a straight answer, talk to your peer group and consider taking direct action to fix inequality.
Miss Granny
Director: Joyce Bernal
Starring: Sarah Geronimo, James Reid, Xian Lim, Nova Villa
3/5
(Tagalog with Eng/Ar subtitles)
World record transfers
1. Kylian Mbappe - to Real Madrid in 2017/18 - €180 million (Dh770.4m - if a deal goes through)
2. Paul Pogba - to Manchester United in 2016/17 - €105m
3. Gareth Bale - to Real Madrid in 2013/14 - €101m
4. Cristiano Ronaldo - to Real Madrid in 2009/10 - €94m
5. Gonzalo Higuain - to Juventus in 2016/17 - €90m
6. Neymar - to Barcelona in 2013/14 - €88.2m
7. Romelu Lukaku - to Manchester United in 2017/18 - €84.7m
8. Luis Suarez - to Barcelona in 2014/15 - €81.72m
9. Angel di Maria - to Manchester United in 2014/15 - €75m
10. James Rodriguez - to Real Madrid in 2014/15 - €75m
RESULT
Wolves 1 (Traore 67')
Tottenham 2 (Moura 8', Vertonghen 90 1')
Man of the Match: Adama Traore (Wolves)
Teams
Punjabi Legends Owners: Inzamam-ul-Haq and Intizar-ul-Haq; Key player: Misbah-ul-Haq
Pakhtoons Owners: Habib Khan and Tajuddin Khan; Key player: Shahid Afridi
Maratha Arabians Owners: Sohail Khan, Ali Tumbi, Parvez Khan; Key player: Virender Sehwag
Bangla Tigers Owners: Shirajuddin Alam, Yasin Choudhary, Neelesh Bhatnager, Anis and Rizwan Sajan; Key player: TBC
Colombo Lions Owners: Sri Lanka Cricket; Key player: TBC
Kerala Kings Owners: Hussain Adam Ali and Shafi Ul Mulk; Key player: Eoin Morgan
Venue Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Format 10 overs per side, matches last for 90 minutes
Timeline October 25: Around 120 players to be entered into a draft, to be held in Dubai; December 21: Matches start; December 24: Finals
Left Bank: Art, Passion and Rebirth of Paris 1940-1950
Agnes Poirer, Bloomsbury
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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'HIJRAH%3A%20IN%20THE%20FOOTSTEPS%20OF%20THE%20PROPHET'
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