famous muslim tennis players
He also electrified Casablanca by winning the title there in 97. Apart from winning an Olympic gold medal, she also won Belgium its first Fed Cup title and won 7 Grand Slam titles. After a series of injuries and surgery, she bounced back into the scene in 2014 with being ranked 47. Martina Hingis from Czechoslovakia took the court by storm from 1994 and has left a blazing trail ever since. She is coached by her father, while her mother travels with her in the role of physical therapist. Lendl comes from a tennis family. However, while some of these athletes are born Muslims, few converted to the faith later in their lives. After starting his NBA career with Orlando, Shaq played for other NBA teams like Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, and Phoenix Suns. His career highlight awards include two-time NBA champion, two-time NBA Finals MVP, and NBA Most Valuable Player. List of the Best Muslim Football Players in The World Mesut Ozil The midfield player is a well-known German footballer. And, a tennis star was born. And she remains down to earth enough to enjoy a good kebab. She has managed to stay in the top ten since. He was born and raised in Las Vegas but his dad was Cuban-born, and also a wrestler. Similarly, in 2005, he won the Australian Open after defeating Lleyton Hewitt in the final. Djokovic is also the only player to complete the career Golden Masters and he has achieved this feat twice. Samprass career prize money totaled $43,280,489. The youngest world number 1, too, she was named after Martina Navratilova and was the daughter of a Czech tennis player and a tennis coach. Known as the Female Federer, Belgian tennis legend Justine Henin is a former world number 1 in singles. She has 49 career titles to her credit, including 7 Grand Slam Titles: 5 Wimbledon and 2 US. This article was last updated by Sushma Thapa on November 8, 2022. Tennis is played either between two individuals competing against each other, or between two teams consisting of two players each. Ana's current worth is $16 million. He describes himself as a non-practicing Muslim. But this does not stop him from praying before his game. Also a table tennis player, Perry was the world champion in 1929. Zinedine Zidane Zinedine Zidane is one of the most effective Muslim footballers in France. The beginning of 2018 too was difficult as his ranking dropped. Having turned pro in 2003, Djokovic took five years to win a Grand Slam trophy at the Australian Open. He seemed to post-religious posts on social media on a couple of occasions. The young and brash Andre Agassi from Nevada first took everyone by surprise as he entered the Tennis scene in 1986 with his fleeting rock star attitude and looks. Even if it meant losing matches for taking such huge risks. The search for the top Muslima in the tennis world takes us to two countries: Iran and France. Sign in|Recent Site Activity|Report Abuse|Print Page|Powered By Google Sites. I was in Egypt recently baking in the heat and watching rainy Wimbledon on the Al Jazeera sports channel, when I saw that this guy was doing the commentary. And the cartoon made him realize that he hadnt chosen Christianity. Now decades after his passing, he still remains one of the biggest faces for the fight against AIDS. Martina Navratilova is the worlds only tennis player to be no. He was a part of Real Madrid's La Liga winning team. He became the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer in 2016 and was elected to the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2017. Swiss tennis sensation Martina Hingis made waves when she won the Australian Open at age 16, becoming the youngest Grand Slam singles winner of the 20th century. Of Iranian descent, this 20 year-old will probably become one of the most dangerous players on tour in the future. Shaquille ONeal preparing for free throw (Source: Wikimedia.org). She gained the top ranking in 2008 after winning the 2008 French Open and held it for 12 weeks. The greatest players leave giant footprints in the tennis world that the emerging players aspire to one day fill. He has 98 career titles and 20 Grand Slam Singles Title including 8 Wimbledon, 6 Australian Open, 5 US Open, and 1 French Open. Im very proud of being French, but also very proud of having these roots and this diversity.. Following her retirement from tennis due to a spinal issue, she became a popular TV personality. While she still intends to pursue the field of physics after she is done with tennis, her immediate goal remains to emulate her favorite players, Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi, by achieving the number one ranking in the world. He was nominated among the top 20 most charitable athletes of 2015. John Newcombe Franck Ribery is another famous muslim football player. Our number 3 of the famous Muslim athletes is the former professional basketball player, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. And, a tennis star was born. Muhammad Ali 1966 (Source: Wikimedia.org). He is one of the most significant and celebrated sports figures of the 20th century. The Spanish national has won 20 Grand Slam singles titles and holds the record of winning 13 French Open Championships. We've got some boxing greats, a couple HOF NBA centers, and even a cricket superstar. Hopkins is nicknamed The Executioner and later The Alien for his great defense and mastery of boxing fundamentals. (Former World Number One Romanian Tennis Legend), (Retired Serbian Tennis Player Who Was Once World Number One in Singles), (American Tennis Player Who Rose to Fame After Her Win Against Venus Williams at Wimbledon in 2019), (One of the Best Croatian Tennis Players of All Time). Likewise, Tyson was the first heavyweight boxer to win the WBA, WBC, and IBF titles. Of course, one must take this information with a grain of salt, as any Muslim man who makes decisions for a Muslim woman (be they professional or otherwise) will come in for great criticism. In the 1971 Test series against England, he started his international cricket journey but made his first-class cricket debut at 16. Naseem Hamed on the ring (Source: Instagram). He has proven his talent for over 20 years and is still competing at the very highest level. He has won 84 single and 1 doubles career titles. 4. While in prison, he discovered his passion for boxing, so he decided to use boxing to escape his life of crime. Learn how your comment data is processed. Some of his career highlight wins of Wallace include NBA champion, four times NBA All-Star, and NBA All-Rookie Second Team. Infamously, there was a fatwa declared on her (for wearing indecent clothing) shortly after rising to fame with a victory at the Hyderabad tourney in 2005. He plays for France international team as a midfielder and for German football club Bayern Munich. It is also not easy to compare players as each player has their own signature styles, strengths, and weaknesses. Hopkins had a rough childhood. Islam Slimani, Algeria. He quickly proved himself to be one of the best centers in the league. Barring injury, Federer has all the potential to reach more milestones. Before being drafted to the Pakistan senior national team in 1994-95, he played for the under-19 championship circuit. Yet another French national football team representative. Even at 36, he is still in form and playing his best games with players who are younger. But when it came to Muslim women in the coverage of the 2016. Some might dispute this statement because he mastered some surfaces and clearly struggled on the others. 1 for more than 200 weeks in both singles and doubles. 20 years ago, in 1998, Roger Federer took the court by storm, playing and winning the best games. She was also inducted into the Tennis Hall Of Fame in 2000. However, he does not speak his native tongue, Tatar. Tennis players are the sports persons who play tennis professionally and participate in regional, national and international tournaments. Fans of Hamid called him Prince Naseem and Naz. Despite this fact, even many fans are unknown of the religion they practice. Our editorial content is not influenced by any commissions we receive. We hope to see him for as long as age or injury catches up with him, making way for newer players. Ahead of Sunday's final of the men's eight at the World . Conclusion. She was one of those rare female players who used a single-handed backhand. He led the Pakistan cricket team as a captain from 2009 to 2011. This girl is only 55 but has a stocky build and is totally fearless on the court, not to be dominated by more seasoned players a half-foot taller. Pogba is holding the 3rd position on the list of top 10 Muslim football players in the World. Despite enduring several injuries, Federer continues to dominate the tennis court. It makes up 24.9% of the worlds population. She was top notch when it came to her fitness levels. Nonetheless, she earned a spot in the University of Evansville at Indiana to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Performance. Agassi retired from Tennis in 2006 and shall always be remembered for being a champion on and off the court. Monica Seles. Arsalan and Nouchine Rezai emigrated from Iran to France. Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. changed his name to Muhammad Ali in the 1960s after converting to Islam and joining the Nation of Islam. Kareem played basketball in his high school and college career, and after college, the Milwaukee Bucks drafted him as the first pick in the 1969 NBA draft. [45] Reza, an Iranian-French player, has won four WTA titles and achieved a career-high singles ranking of 15. Mike Tyson tops our list. After retiring from his professional playing career, Zidane transitioned into a coaching career. 2017 proved a difficult time for him as he had just recovered from a shoulder injury and. He was born Marat Mubinovich Safin on January 27, 1980, and was a former politician. Boris Becker is a German former tennis player who has three Wimbledons, one US Open, and two Australian Open titles under his belt. In 1987, Nouchine, a physical therapist, gave birth to daughter Aravane. His impressive performance on clay courts has earned him the title of The King of Clay, Rafa. Do you know about some of the best Muslim athletes of all time? He started off as a teenage sensation and helped popularize tennis during the 1970s. Ryan Clark Wife, Yonka Clark: Family, Children & More! Like El Aynaoui, he was a formidable Davis Cup player (the tournament where nations play one another), and once beat both Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski in the same playoff, that victory over the UK lifting Morocco into the World Group competition. On the personal side, Aravane is fluent in three languages: French, Persian, and English. One of the biggest stars in Los Blancos squad Benzema is a devout Muslim who follows fasting in the holy month of Ramadan. 2) Mesut Ozil: Shahid Afridi 2010 (Source Wikimedia.org). His soccer skills are as good as any player's on the planet. Pogba is one of the most talented midfielders of the recent time and is a proud Muslim as well. View the . 1 tennis player from Russia. The athlete made his amateur boxing debut in 1954 and 1960. She married Shoaib Malik in 2010. And he is still dominating and playing at the top levels at the age of 39. However, he is still active in other formats of the game. 1 in 1993 and held the record for 286 weeks. Californian Venus Williams entered the tennis scene in the year 1994. Novak Djokovic. A former world No. She has twice won the Muslim Womens Games, and this year exploded onto the scene at the Istanbul tournament, beating former number ones Maria Sharapova and Venus Williams in succession. 61 at the time of his retirement in 2009. So, clearly her star is on the rise. She has since gone on to win four Womens Tennis Association tournament titles thus far in her career. Do you happen to know any other famous athletes who are Muslims? Mike Tyson is considered one of the greatest heavyweight boxers in boxing history. Afridi was captain of the national team for all game formats in 2010. Novak Djokovic - Top Tennis Player. Arsalan and Nouchine Rezai emigrated from Iran to France. She even went through a pregnancy during the 2017 championships. Indian actor Sahabzade Irrfan Ali Khan, known professionally as Irrfan Khan or just Irrfan, appeared in a number of major Hollywood and Bollywood . Antonio Rudiger 8. It may also result from racial politics that insulted his racial origins in the past. In a 2008 interview with USA Today, Safin identified himself as a Muslim. Zinedine Zidane 2018 (Source: Wikimedia.org), In an interview with Esquire magazine, Zidane stated, I have an affinity with the Arabic world. As we mark the start of the Islamic Ramadan month, we're taking time out to give a salute to some of those incredible athletes as they start up their holiday. His professional debut game was against, Zhang Zhilei Bio: Early Life Career & Net Worth. He was born Marat Mubinovich Safin on January 27, 1980, and was a former politician. He turned pro in 1978 and retired in 1994. Share on Facebook. Hes probably best known for a nail-biter five-set loss to Andy Roddick in the Australian Open where he had previously defeated No. Click here to read about Dominic Gutirrez Bio: Net Worth, Wife, Dad & WWE. These are some of the most famous Muslim athletes of all time. Frank Mir is one of the top American mixed martial artists and professional wrestlers. 17. By the age of 13, Hopkins had turned into a life of crime. During his time, Wallace was one of the few Muslim players in the NBA. He held multiple world championships in two weight classes during his professional career. On number 1, we have non-other than the legend of boxing, Muhammad Ali. He also helped his country win the 2018 Davis Cup. In a career spanning 20 years, he has a long list of achievements: 61 career titles including 4 Australian Open, 2 US Open, 1 French Open, and 1 Wimbledon. Sania Mirza Sania Mirza is one of the most prominent tennis players who has broken many records in Tennis despite all the odds being against her. 15. A real giant for an Arab at 64, he was somewhat of a late bloomer and won most of his titles in the twilight of his career. As a result, he is one of the elite Muslim players of the league who had a strict observance of Ramadan. In 2008, he was made an inductedintothe International Tennis Hall of Fame. Likewise, he was the head coach for the Oklahoma Strom. One of the best British professional tennis players of all time, Andy Murray is popularly known as the Great Scot since he was born in Scotland. She is also credited with changing the long-standing practice of paying male tennis players more than their female counterparts as she won the fight for equal prize money. Click here to read about the 13 Famous Indian Athletes. We will start our best Muslim athletes list with a former professional NBA player, Rasheed Abdul Wallace. Coco Gauff, who has achieved a career-high ranking of 23 in singles, is the youngest player ranked by the WTA in the top 100. At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, Wawrinka won the gold medal for Switzerland in the doubles event along with teammate Roger Federer. He was arrested 38 times by the time he was 13, for which he was sent to the Tryon School for Boys. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scored 38,387 points in his career, a record that is being chased down by current Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James. In 1987, Nouchine, a physical therapist, gave birth to daughter Aravane. His infamous bad temper on court was parodied in satirical TV programs, such as Spitting Image and Not the Nine O'Clock News. There have been many NBA players who fasted during the NBA season during the Ramadan period. She can establish herself as a powerful server and pro athlete in the field of tennis. Top 20 best Muslim football players in the world right now. Although his public image has been marred with controversies, he has been regarded as the most ferocious fighter to step into a professional ring by Sky Sports. 1. So, without further ado, lets have a look at the best Muslim athletes of all time. Hes definitely a looker and acts like he knows it: he never hesitates to take his shirt off and once bleached his hair blond. Rafael Nadal is considered to be one of the greatest tennis players ever and is called the king of clay. Novak Djokovic has won 19 singles Grand Slams and was ranked world number 1 in 2011. In 1987, Nouchine, a physical therapist, gave birth to daughter Aravane. Venus Williams (Born: June 17, 1980) Venus Williams is an American professional tennis player. ESPN ranked Tyson as number 1 on the list of The Hardest Hitters in Heavyweight History. In addition, Mike is the International Boxing Hall of Famer and the World Boxing Hall of Famer. She finally retired in 2017, winning 3 Grand Slam Doubles titles in her final year of competitive Tennis. However, the most significant event was the Fight of the century against George Foreman in The Rumble in the Jungle. Who is the most famous athlete who is Muslim? He won eight Grand Slam tournaments, including a Career Grand Slam. One of the greatest Argentine players of all time, Juan Martn del Potro also won Olympic bronze and silver in 2012 and 2016 respectively. He holds 200 singles titles--the most in tennis history. Content Summery [ show] 10. She plans to become an astrophysicist when her tennis career comes to an end. 1 in many online lists of the top 10 hottest tennis players. You have entered an incorrect email address! . And, a tennis star was born. Like fellow Muslim sports stars Mo Farah, Moeen Ali and Amir Khan, the Great Britain rower observes Ramadan each year. If you remember the legendary and colorful tennis commentator Bud Collins (who used to moderate Breakfast at Wimbledon), Arazi was always one of his favourite players. Hakeem Olajuwon is a former Nigerian-American professional basketball player. Widely regarded as the greatest tennis player of all time, Roger Federer has won the most number of men's Grand Slam singles titles. Similarly, his awards also include twelve times NBA All-Star, six times All-NBA First Team, three times All-NBA Third Team, etc. Simone Manuel became the first . She may appear soft-spoken but is tough on the court. Sadio Mane 6. With 22 WTA singles titles and two Grand Slam singles titles under her belt, Simona Halep is one of the most successful Romanian female tennis players of all time. Years: 1966-1989 Accolades: 3x NCAA Champion at UCLA, All-Time Leading Scorer in NBA History, 6x NBA Champion, 6x NBA MVP, 2x NBA Finals MVP, 19x NBA All-Star Kareem has always been great at. Nicknamed Pistol Pete, the player was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2007. Tennis is a highly competitive sport and one needs to be trained for a career as a professional tennis player from a young age. Mike Tyson celebrates after winning the championship match. A well loved spectator sport, several tennis tournaments are held worldwide. What makes Abdul-Jabbar's scoring record even more impressive today is the way in which he amassed all of those buckets. Despite enduring several injuries, Federer continues to dominate the tennis court. She is still in great form and we hope to see her return to the court, stronger than ever and win more titles. Click here to read about the 13 Famous Indian Athletes. Overall hes won five titles, and reached 11 finals. Under his captaincy, the Pakistan national team won the 1992 Cricket World Cup, Pakistans first and only victory in the competition. The Laver Cup Tournament is named after him. She is one of three women with a "Grand Slam Boxed Set. She is openly lesbian and had earlier fled her country, Czechoslovakia, due to political issues. Michael Chang. And his goal celebrations are just as good as his soccer skills. The 25-year-old Tunisian made. His professional debut game was againstTunney Hunsaker. She was one of the toughest opponents to face on the court. Nadal took over the tennis scene in 2001. He was converted to Islam several years ago. Hence, in this article, we take you through a list of the top 10 soccer players who are Muslims. He was born Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr. in New York. Want To Know About The Other Tennis Player . Her game has undeniably stood the test of competition and time. Shahid Afridi is a professional cricketer from Pakistan. Named one of 30 Legends of Women's Tennis by Time in 2011, she later married German footballer Bastian Schweinsteiger and is now a mother of two. During his professional cricket career, Khan served as a national cricket team captain between 1982 and 1992. She has won 12 Grand Slam Singles titles that include: 6 Wimbledon, 4 US Open, 1 French and 1 Australian Open. Collins lauded his incredible artistry and shot-making ability, pulling audacious and improbable shots out of nowhere with the deftest of touches. Dominic Thiem. 3 player in the world is Spain's only representation on espnW's list of the 25 most famous women athletes. The search for the top Muslima in the tennis world takes us to two countries: Iran and France.