27 Oct 2008 - Vila Real De Santo Antonio, Portugal - Nick Fishpool
History made by Mococcan pair in Portugal
The week commencing October 20th 2008 saw history made at the $10,000 Vila Real De Santo Antonio tournament on the ITF Womens Circuit. Held in this city facing Spain across the Guadiana River in the Algarve region of southeastern Portugal, Moroccan Fed Cup teammates, Nadia Lalami and Lamia Essaadi, contested the first ever all-Moroccan singles final on the ITF Womens Circuit.
Playing in her first career singles final on the ITF Womens Circuit, Lalami, who at the age of 18 was 11 years her opponents junior, claimed the singles title when Essaadi retired from the match with Lalami leading 2-1 in the opening set. Lalami, with her regular Fed Cup doubles partner Fatima El Allami, also secured the doubles title here with a 64 63 final win in what was also her first appearance in a doubles final.
Prior to 2008 only one Moroccan woman, Bahia Mouhtassine, had a singles title to her name. Lalamis success in clinching the singles title made her the fourth Moroccan woman to win a singles title on the ITF Womens Circuit following titles for Lamia Essaadi (July) and Fatima El Allami (August). These three women, now with one singles title each; all have some way to go to catch Mouhtassines haul of eleven singles titles on the ITF Womens Circuit.
Previous ITF Womens Circuit Singles titles won
Bahia Mouhtassine
1997 $10,000 Rabat, MAR
1997 $10,000 Ceuta, ESP
1998 $10,000 Tortosa, ESP
1998 $10,000 Rabat, MAR
1998 $10,000 Ain El Sukhna, EGY
1999 $10,000 Cairo, EGY
2000 $10,000 Talence, FRA
2001 $25,000 Cairo, EGY
2004 $10,000 Rabat, MAR
2004 $25,000 Biarritz, FRA
2004 $25,000 Mestre, ITA
Lamia Essaadi
2008 $10,000 Rabat, MAR
Fatima El Allami
2008 $10,000 La Marsa, TUN
Nadia Lalami
2008 $10,000 Vila Real De Santo Antonio, POR
History made by Mococcan pair in Portugal
The week commencing October 20th 2008 saw history made at the $10,000 Vila Real De Santo Antonio tournament on the ITF Womens Circuit. Held in this city facing Spain across the Guadiana River in the Algarve region of southeastern Portugal, Moroccan Fed Cup teammates, Nadia Lalami and Lamia Essaadi, contested the first ever all-Moroccan singles final on the ITF Womens Circuit.
Playing in her first career singles final on the ITF Womens Circuit, Lalami, who at the age of 18 was 11 years her opponents junior, claimed the singles title when Essaadi retired from the match with Lalami leading 2-1 in the opening set. Lalami, with her regular Fed Cup doubles partner Fatima El Allami, also secured the doubles title here with a 64 63 final win in what was also her first appearance in a doubles final.
Prior to 2008 only one Moroccan woman, Bahia Mouhtassine, had a singles title to her name. Lalamis success in clinching the singles title made her the fourth Moroccan woman to win a singles title on the ITF Womens Circuit following titles for Lamia Essaadi (July) and Fatima El Allami (August). These three women, now with one singles title each; all have some way to go to catch Mouhtassines haul of eleven singles titles on the ITF Womens Circuit.
Previous ITF Womens Circuit Singles titles won
Bahia Mouhtassine
1997 $10,000 Rabat, MAR
1997 $10,000 Ceuta, ESP
1998 $10,000 Tortosa, ESP
1998 $10,000 Rabat, MAR
1998 $10,000 Ain El Sukhna, EGY
1999 $10,000 Cairo, EGY
2000 $10,000 Talence, FRA
2001 $25,000 Cairo, EGY
2004 $10,000 Rabat, MAR
2004 $25,000 Biarritz, FRA
2004 $25,000 Mestre, ITA
Lamia Essaadi
2008 $10,000 Rabat, MAR
Fatima El Allami
2008 $10,000 La Marsa, TUN
Nadia Lalami
2008 $10,000 Vila Real De Santo Antonio, POR