As the blazing summer sun beats down on Melbourne Park, the Australian Open qualifying rounds are yet again throwing up new names and new stories.
One such name is Hady Habib. The 26-year-old, born in Houston but proudly representing Lebanon, is just one win away from a historic debut in a Grand Slam main draw.
The fact that Habib even made it to Melbourne this year is somewhat of a fairytale already.
Heading into the final Challenger event of the year, the Temuco 100 in Chile, Habib’s ranking was sitting outside of 300.
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To be any chance of his maiden Grand Slam appearance, Habib would have to win the event. Something he had never achieved. Something, in fact, no Lebanese player had ever achieved.
As it turned out, Habib did conquer the unconquerable. The pinnacle of his career came at the perfect time. That triumph, where he dropped only one set all week—a marathon final against Camilo Ugo Carabelli—propelled his ranking by nearly 100 spots to its current standing of No.219.
Not only locking in his place for the Australian Open qualifying event, but also taking over his compatriot, Benjamin Hassan, as the highest-ranked Lebanese player.
Speaking about the milestone, Habib said: "It was a historic moment for Lebanese tennis... and I just felt so much joy. I got a little emotional after I won."
Habib also later wrote on Instagram: "This one was about fighting battles that no one else could see. I'm so thankful for the moment, the journey, my team... and everyone who's been part of it. Lebanon... stay strong, and this one's for you."
The heartfelt message was clearly referencing the ongoing war in his homeland, which has caused great suffering for his family, and made travelling the world even more difficult than it can already be for a tennis player.
Habib would be in daily contact back home, checking in on the safety of his family and friends. To deal with all that, while trying to concentrate on a sport as mentally and physically draining as tennis poses, is a demonstration of his resilience and determination to make it to this point.
‘This point’ is now the third and final round of Australian Open qualifying. Habib has been nothing short of sensational so far. In his opening match, he dispatched American Patrick Kypson with a commanding 6-4, 7-6 victory.
That match showcased one of the big weapons in his arsenal: a thunderous serve that produced 22 aces and an 80 per cent win rate on his first serve.
Habib carried that momentum into the second-round, where he faced the 13th seed,
Chun-Hsin Tseng, a player ranked 100 spots higher than him. With an attacking style that yielded 40 winners against 29 unforced errors, Habib pulled off another straight-sets win, 6-4, 7-6, to move within just two sets of another dream.
Standing between Habib and a main draw berth is France’s Clément Chidekh, also an Australian Open debutant. Both players will be chasing a career-defining moment in what promises to be a highly emotional match for both players, regardless of the result.
For Habib though, this moment is the culmination of a career built on trailblazing achievements. Born in Houston to a Lebanese father and an Iranian mother, Habib moved to Lebanon at the age of six.
His connection to his heritage has been a driving force throughout his career, even as he trained and competed far from home.
Last year, he made history by becoming the first-ever Lebanese Olympic tennis player, proudly serving as Lebanon’s flag bearer at the Paris Games.
Unfortunately for Habib, he happened to draw Carlos Alcaraz in the opening round. But despite this, Habib understood the enormity of the situation he found himself in.
Reflecting on the Olympics, he said: "It was such an amazing experience playing the best in the world that week. I probably got more support than I have my entire life playing tennis."
Habib’s journey to prominence also includes a stellar college career. As a standout
player for Texas A&M University, he developed his trademark attacking style and
laid the foundation for his professional aspirations.
Transitioning to the Pro circuit, he continued to rise through the ranks, securing
an impressive 10 ITF titles along the way, on both clay and hard courts.
Habib has also been a constant fixture for Lebanon in the Davis Cup competition since 2015.
Hailing from a country with limited tennis infrastructure, Habib’s rise to prominence is evidence of his grit and determination. Growing up, access to high-level coaching and facilities was obviously a constant struggle.
Even now he says that practice is not easy. Talking after the Olympics, he spoke
about the difficulties.
"To be honest, it’s tough for me to practice, because I don’t really have a coach, so I just go out there and serve baskets on my own," he said.
One feels that is about to change, and he’ll soon have no trouble finding practice partners.
As the hours tick down to his final qualifying match, many tennis eyes will be on Habib.
Whether he breaks through to the main draw or not, his story is already one of the highlights of this year’s Australian Open.
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