In a recent conversation with her psychologist, Egyptian tennis star Mayar Sherif was asked what was driving her the most. “She was asking me, ‘What is your motivation right now?
Because motivation can move mountains’,” recalled Sherif in an interview with Arab News on Monday. “I told her, ‘I’m dying to pass Ismail’s career-high mark of 34,’ so that was definitely a goal I had in my mind.” Sherif was referring to Ismail El-Shafei, who, until Sunday, was the highest-ranked Egyptian in Open era history, having peaked at No.34 in the world back in 1975.
On Monday, Sherif officially surpassed him as she hit a new career-high ranking of 31 to become the highest-ranked Egyptian tennis player among both men and women in the professional era. “It didn’t come just like that, by coincidence.
It feels good to break another barrier; it gives me a lot of confidence mentally and it’s important to go into the grass season feeling this confident,” said the 27-year-old Cairene.