Hady Habib made history at the Australian Open by becoming the first tennis player from Lebanon to win a singles match at a grand slam.
The world No. 219 defeated China’s Bu Yunchaokete 7-6 (4) 6-4 7-6 (6) on Sunday to reach the second round, sparking joyous scenes in the stands on court 13 where a large contingent of Lebanese fans had been cheering Habib on throughout the match.
The 26-year-old held a Lebanon flag aloft after the match as the crowd chanted his name: “Hady, Hady, Hady.”
Habib had already made history in Australia by becoming the first tennis player from Lebanon to reach the main draw of a grand slam after coming through qualifying.
Remarkably, it was the first time Habib had been ranked high enough to even take part in qualifying for a grand slam, which was thanks to a maiden Challenger Tour title won in Chile in December.
“This is probably one of the best days of my career, honestly,” Habib told reporters after the match. “It’s such an incredible feeling to get this win. Not only for myself but for Lebanon and Lebanese tennis.
“As you guys could see, the crowd there was absolutely wild so it made it even more special to win in front of them.
“This is the biggest achievement I’ve had in my entire career,” he added.
In beating Bu, ranked No. 67 in the world, Habib also recorded the first win over a top-100 player in his career.
Habib says the win is even more meaningful against the backdrop of war in his country, with Israeli attacks killing hundreds of Lebanese. A fragile truce has held between Israel and Hezbollah since the war ended in late November.
Born in Houston, Texas, Habib says he lived in Lebanon between the ages of six and 12 and it was there that he first picked up a tennis racket.
He has been representing Lebanon since the age of 15 when he played his first Davis Cup match for the country. Both of his parents, as well as many of his friends, still live there.
“It’s a huge win, especially with what we’ve been going through as a country,” Habib said.
“I think to bring something positive – especially because we’ve been having a rough time with the war, and we’ve had other issues in the past – it’s just nice to get this win for Lebanon, for the people.”
Incredibly, Habib says he has “a sponsor” but revealed he’s been “mostly helping myself” on his journey through professional tennis.
He will face France‘s 14th seed Ugo Humbert in the second round of the Australian Open on Wednesday.
CNN’s Tamara Qiblawi contributed to reporting.
Source: edition.cnn.com