Sherif and an epic resurgence after hitting rock bottom: "I wanted to feel that, after failing so many times, in the end I would succeed"

Andrés Tomás Rico | 23 Jul 2026 | 23.36

Sherif and an epic comeback after hitting rock bottom: "I wanted to feel that, after failing so many times, I was finally going to succeed." Photo: Gettyimages

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Mayar Sherif is the best synonym for hard work. The Egyptian, the only one in her country's history to win a WTA tournament, had reasons to give up, but her struggle and resilience have paid off. Just a couple of months ago, she was ranked 129th in the WTA rankings, but 15 wins in 16 matches and three titles later (Brescia, Contrexeville, and the WTA 250 Iasi), have propelled her back to the top 55.

It's a resurgence after going through one of the worst moments in her career. A slump in results and a loss of confidence in her game pushed her out of the Top 100, leading to more insecurities and anxiety episodes on the court that Sherif herself described as "one of the worst moments, not only in my career, but I would say in life in general", in an interview with The National after her success in Romania.

In the interview, she stated that after hitting rock bottom following her defeat in Madrid, she disconnected by traveling to Warsaw to see her sister: "It was very important. It was like a reset. I was very happy there. I saw many Egyptians. My sister has many friends there. There is a large Egyptian community, I was genuinely surprised. We went to see a very funny Egyptian movie; I had never laughed so much in my life. I did many things that made me feel like a normal person."

The winning momentum continues 💫

Mayar Sherif moves past Waltert 5-7, 6-4, 7-6(3) and is into the Round of 16 in Hamburg!#MSCHamburgLadiesOpen pic.twitter.com/ihjhvFIZPf
— wta (@WTA) July 22, 2026

Mayar Sherif and a trip to Warsaw that grounded her and reconnected her with her tennis

A trip that helped her disconnect and also reconnect with her game: "I realized how much I love tennis. Because when I stopped playing, I really wanted to come back. I was eager to compete again and do it well. I wanted to feel what I'm feeling now. I wanted to feel success. I wanted to feel that all the hard work is paying off. I wanted to feel that, after failing so many times, in the end, I will succeed. Because now, the satisfaction is immense."

The Egyptian gradually raised her level and confidence, but the Roland Garros qualifiers were a turning point: "It was during the Trevisan match. The final set of the second round of the qualifiers. That's when I felt: ‘I'm going for it all’. I no longer felt anxious about closing out the match. I felt like I used to. I took it and closed it. This was the first step to get back on track. That's why I believed I would return soon. Because I started feeling things I hadn't felt on the court in a long time."

That was where she planted the seed that now allows her to enjoy a memorable month: "I'm stronger than ever now, especially mentally. Because I hit rock bottom as a person. I learned to have confidence in the work, in what we do, and to do the right thing, knowing that results will always come. If you fail over and over again, if you manage to overcome that failure, if you succeed because you persevered, you will come back much stronger. And that's how I feel now."

Even after these three titles, the last one by defeating Paula Badosa in the final, the Egyptian doesn't hit the brakes: "I still want more. I keep working hard and I'm very motivated because I've been through a lot, and now I'm just enjoying the moment."

Coincidentally, Mayar Sheriff will meet the Spanish player again in the quarterfinals of the WTA 250 Hamburg, but she sends a clear message beforehand: "I'm going to enjoy the circuit much more than before because I realized that I didn't appreciate where I was for five years. I didn't drop out of the top 100, not even the top 70, always playing the big tournaments and not appreciating it. Now, I will enjoy it. I'll go with a different mindset, giving it my all".

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Sherif y un épico resurgimiento tras tocar fondo: "Quería sentir que, después de haber fracasado tantas veces, al final iba a tener éxito"

WTA