In Pictures

Vying for match points near Mosul battleground

The Duhok tennis club offers a sporting sanctuary, where players can escape the violence gripping their country.

Sara Avdal Hassan says the sport of tennis is important to her because it can help her to achieve goals. [Alessandro Rota/Al Jazeera]

27 Dec 2016

Duhok, Iraq – In Duhok, in Iraq’s Kurdish region, just a few kilometres from the brutal battleground of Mosul, a group of tennis players practise their sport and dream of a better future.

Undeterred by the violence around them, these athletes train up to four times a week, sometimes remaining on the tennis courts until well past midnight. The club, considered among the top in the country, has also competed on the international stage.

“Things have changed a lot since I was a student at Mosul University, some 10 years ago,” acknowledges coach Avdal Hasan.

As the players practise, the slow battle for Mosul rages on, with Iraqi forces continuing their push to oust fighters with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group. The city has become ISIL’s last stronghold in Iraq.

About 30 female players, ranging in age from six to 25, regularly practise at the tennis courts. [Alessandro Rota/Al Jazeera]

Many different classes are offered at the Duhok sports centre. [Alessandro Rota/Al Jazeera]

The lights of the city of Duhok can be seen from the main tennis court at night. [Alessandro Rota/Al Jazeera]

Coach Avdal Hasan speaks with several of the athletes. [Alessandro Rota/Al Jazeera]

Murals have been painted inside the club's storage room. [Alessandro Rota/Al Jazeera]

Hasan offers some pointers to Lava Aree, who is studying sports science and says she enjoys competing at tennis tournaments. [Alessandro Rota/Al Jazeera]

A younger club member takes a break during a training session. [Alessandro Rota/Al Jazeera]

Club members pose for a team photo. [Alessandro Rota/Al Jazeera]

Players perform warm-up exercises before a training session, including running and stretching. [Alessandro Rota/Al Jazeera]

The tennis club has won a variety of trophies from tournaments throughout Iraq, including in the Kurdish region. [Alessandro Rota/Al Jazeera]

Lara Avdal says that tennis is her favourite sport, and her biggest dream is to play at the French Open one day. [Alessandro Rota/Al Jazeera]