MEET OMANI PROFESSIONAL TENNIS PLAYER: FATMA AL NABHANI
As we continue to share with you unique stories of influential ladies from around the Middle, I am truly honored and excited to share with you this special one; a determined woman who sets the example to many, if not all ،Arab women out there.
Fatma Al Nabhani, the Omani professional tennis player, is one of the region’s most influential ladies. Making history and overcoming barriers, Fatma turned professional in 2007, she has won four singles and four doubles titles on the ITF tour, reaching a singles world ranking of 362. Goal-oriented, driven, and full of passion towards her sport, Fatma speaks to us about her story and her dreams.
Coming from a family of tennis players, did you always know you were going to be a tennis player? Did you ever consider any other options or have any doubts?
No one forced me to play the game I just fell in love with it. I never knew that I would take it up professionally and would dedicate everything to the game but after seeing my results when I started playing tournaments at a young age, and that I was creating history, I never thought of anything else or any other options.
Last time we met we were shooting your campaign with Nike about your resolutions for the year, it was December 2015, and at the time your resolution was to get a few steps closer to the Olympics, how has your experiences since? Tell us about your exciting tennis adventures!
2016 was a very successful year for me. I had great results and I was very close to competing at the Rio Olympics but unfortunately I did not make it. Instead I improved my ranking during the year and played in more tournaments. Hopefully I will be able to make it to the next Olympics.
Amazing we wish you the best of luck! What does sport and tennis mean to you?
My LIFE.
Being a professional tennis player takes a lot of determination and hard work. Tell us about a typical day for Fatma Al Nabhani?
Tennis is not an easy sport at all, especially when you compete and do it professionally. Whenever I am home and preparing for a tournament, we train almost six hours a day - that includes tennis and physical training, and sometime we add mental training as well, which is very important for a tennis player.
We see that you travel a lot, and we follow your progress at tournaments all over the world. How do you manage your time between practice and travel?
Taking care of your body and getting the proper nutrition while traveling is the key to being fit and fresh for practice. We aim to arrive at a tournament two to three days before competing just to get used to everything and to counter any jet lag so I’m ready to practice and compete well.
Are there any basics you always carry with you other than your fitness attire when you travel? Any jewelry pieces you usually take with you?
There are a few jewelry pieces that I always like to have and some I compete with. It also depends where I'll be traveling to and if I'll have days off so that I can pack more things with me to dress up and enjoy the city.
What initials have you chosen for your HJ Intertwined double ring? I never had a piece of jewelry customized for me before and I am honored to have my first done by HJ. I choose my initials FN in Arabic as I feel it represents me well and will always remind me always of who I am. What is the most precious jewelry gift you have ever received? What makes it special? A diamond ring that my mum gifted me. I never take it off. Fatma you are an inspiration to all woman in the Middle East, defeating obstacles and doing what you have put your mind to. What is your message to all the woman in the Arab World? As Arab women, we need to know that nothing is beyond our reach. Things are changing rapidly in the Arab world and nothing should make us stop doing what we do best. It's time for us all to shine and show the whole world that Arab women are creative and achieving great results across all fields. Follow her adventures on Instagram @Falnabhani Fatma's professional photos taken by Mustafa Vortex @MustafaVortex