Many athletes aspire to be recognized as the best player in their nation’s history, but only a select few achieve this status.
The three most celebrated tennis players of all time—Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic—are all acknowledged as the top tennis players their countries have ever produced.
All three champions have proudly represented their nations by winning the Davis Cup. Nadal led Spain to victories in 2004, 2008, 2009, 2011, and 2019; Djokovic secured wins for Serbia in 2010; and Federer accomplished this for Switzerland in 2014.
Often referred to as the “World Cup of Tennis,” the Davis Cup showcases the best players from various countries competing for national pride. Recently, Jannik Sinner and Italy captured the last two titles. But what about the team at the very bottom of the rankings?
Ranked last at 160th, a North African team is eager to improve its standing, spearheaded by what is considered the country’s greatest player.
Ahmed Mouhan: Libya’s tennis pioneer aiming to uplift his nation
Currently, Libya sits at the bottom of the official Davis Cup rankings, trailing nations like Djibouti, Seychelles, and Tajikistan.
In an exclusive interview with The Tennis Gazette, Ahmed Mouhan, Libya’s leading player, expressed his thoughts on the nation’s low ranking. “Being at the bottom is quite discouraging and creates negative energy,” he explained. “When my teammates came with me for the Davis Cup, they said, ‘We’re in last place; other teams will talk about us.’ This positioning weighs heavily on our minds and impacts our draws.”
Despite their ranking challenges, Libya made a mark this year by winning two ties in ‘Africa Group V’, a significant improvement as they had only won once since 2017. Mouhan was crucial to these victories, remaining unbeaten in singles and doubles matches against Congo and Sudan.
“I believe our performance this year will help us rise in the rankings,” Mouhan stated confidently. “We are preparing to qualify for Group IV, and I’m optimistic we will succeed. I’m dedicated, and my teammates are motivated and disciplined.”
Ahmed Mouhan criticizes Davis Cup officiating
During the recent Davis Cup matches in Botswana, Mouhan faced numerous challenges, particularly relating to the quality of officiating. “Competing in Botswana was tough; being the host nation added pressure, and the crowd was quite disruptive,” he shared. He even had to remind the referees about the tennis rules during his matches. “If you watched my match, it would have been amusing,” he remarked.
Mouhan also had to deal with an unsupportive crowd that cheered against him during the matches. “Every time I made a mistake, they were louder,” he noted, feeling the environment was unfair. Libya lost all three encounters against Botswana, but Mouhan remains hopeful about the future, believing that with hard work, they will climb the ranks. Overall, although Libya’s tennis journey is challenging, their resolve and dedication point to a brighter path ahead.
