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Egypt's Mayar Sherif loses close Roland Garros match in historic debut

Egypt's Mayar Sherif lost 2-1 on Tuesday in the first stage of the Grand Slam competition Rolan Garros   -  
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Alessandra Tarantino/Copyright 2020 The Associated Press.

Egypt

Egypt's Mayar Sherif lost 2-1 on Tuesday in the first stage of the Grand Slam competition Rolan Garros to world number 4 Karolina Pliskova after a close match.

Despite the defeat, she reached a historic level.

She is the first-ever Egyptian female tennis player to reach the main draw of a Grand Slam tournament.

She won the first set (7-6) before losing the next two sets (6-2) (6-4).

On Wednesday, she became the first Egyptian female to win a Grand Slam match after overcoming Colombian teenager Maria Camila Osorio Serrano.

She is also the country's first female tennis player to make it into the Olympic games.

"It's been very good, such a good feeling to be here, to compete here, to compete out in the stadium of Philippe Chatrier today. It was an amazing feeling. I cannot describe it. It just gave me so much energy," she told a press conference.

Due to her historic achievement, she was applauded by Liverpool star Mo Salah on Twitter.

"I am inspired because he's one of the best football players in the world, and to see someone very successful supporting other successful people in his country, it just gives you some energy just to know that there are good people out there and people who are already successful are willing to support you," she said.

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