"I only knew Roger Federer" says Next Gen Finals star Abdullah Shelbayh but Rafael Nadal inspired him to play left handed
ATPMonday, 27 November 2023 at 09:00
Upcoming tennis sensation Abdullah Shelbayh revealed the moment
he was inspired by Spain’s Rafael Nadal.
The 37-year-old is often regarded as one of the greatest players
in the history of men’s singles tennis in the Open era, having won as many as
22 Grand Slam titles in his career.
His most successful competition has been the French Open
where he has lifted the title 14 times which is also a record in the
competition’s history. It is because of this reason, the Spaniard is famous as
the ‘King of Clay’.
Jordan’s Shelbayh, who is one of the participants in the
upcoming NEXT Gen ATP Finals, was recently quoted in a report where he talked about
how he was inspired by Nadal to start playing tennis with his left hand.
“My first memory of watching tennis was Roger Federer,” he
said. “I used to play with the right and one-hand backhand as well because of
Roger, I didn’t know who Rafael Nadal was.I saw one guy playing Roger because
I only knew Roger back then. Then I saw one guy playing with the left hand
[Nadal] and later that day I started to play with the left hand."
Shelbayh will face France’s Luca Van Assche in the first Group
match of the competition on Monday.
Azeem Siddiqui is a seasoned sports journalist and data analyst with a strong background in both digital media and live sports production.
He began his journalism career working with partners of The New York Times and has since contributed to several leading international sports publications, including Fox Sports Asia, Calciomercato, and GiveMeSport. Since 2023, Azeem has been part of the TennisUpToDate team, where he has played a key role in sustaining the platform’s growth and ensuring tennis fans receive timely and reliable coverage of the sport’s biggest stories.
In addition to his editorial work, Azeem has extensive experience as a data analyst in live sports broadcasting—particularly in cricket—where he combines analytical precision with creative storytelling. He has collaborated with multiple production companies and cricket boards worldwide, delivering real-time insights and data-driven narratives during live match coverage.
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