Yara Alhogbani hoping to lead the way for female Saudi tennis players

Last month tennis fans around the world watched Serena Williams play what could well be her last major tournament, as she announced her plan to “evolve away” from the sport.

The 41-year-old Williams will walk away with 23 singles Grand Slams, 73 singles titles, 14 Grand Slam doubles titles, and four Olympic gold medals.

Among the appreciative global audience watching Williams give her farewell speech at the US Open was 17-year-old Yara Faleh Alhogbani, Saudi Arabia’s first female professional tennis player.

“Serena is a role model for many girls, not just tennis players,” she said. “Her influence has transcended the sport and I look up to her in many ways. Serena not only opened doors for other girls, but she also made a commitment to stay true to herself and her own goals along the way.

“That’s something I’m hoping to emulate. I don’t have records that I want to break — I just want to be better than I was the day before whether that is on or off the court.”

Alhogbani, born in Ohio in the US, now resides in Riyadh and turned professional at age 14 after picking up her first racket when she was just four years old.

“I grew up in a very big family, with six brothers and an older sister. We were a very active family that loved biking, swimming, tennis and soccer,” she said.

Alhogbani decided to follow in the footsteps of her brother Ammar and Saud, who both started playing tennis competitively.

Turning professional, however, has been tough for a teenager still in school. Alhogbani must keep up with her studies while training four to six hours a day and traveling frequently for tournaments.

“I attend an online school where the learning schedule is flexible, and I try to squeeze in schoolwork any chance I get.