Skip links

Skip to Content
play

Live

Navigation menu

  • News
    • Middle East
    • Africa
    • Asia
    • US & Canada
    • Latin America
    • Europe
    • Asia Pacific
  • Ukraine war
  • Features
  • Economy
  • Opinion
  • Video
    • Coronavirus
    • Climate Crisis
    • Investigations
    • Interactives
    • In Pictures
    • Science & Technology
    • Sport
    • Podcasts
play

Live

In Pictures

Gallery

Vying for match points near Mosul battleground

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

Duhok Female Tennis Club /Please Do Not Use
Sara Avdal Hassan says the sport of tennis is important to her because it can help her to achieve goals. [Alessandro Rota/Al Jazeera]
By Alessandro Rota
Published On 27 Dec 201627 Dec 2016
facebooktwitterwhatsapp

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.

Duhok Female Tennis Club /Please Do Not Use
About 30 female players, ranging in age from six to 25, regularly practise at the tennis courts. [Alessandro Rota/Al Jazeera]
Advertisement
Duhok Female Tennis Club /Please Do Not Use
Many different classes are offered at the Duhok sports centre. [Alessandro Rota/Al Jazeera]
Duhok Female Tennis Club /Please Do Not Use
The lights of the city of Duhok can be seen from the main tennis court at night. [Alessandro Rota/Al Jazeera]
Duhok Female Tennis Club /Please Do Not Use
Coach Avdal Hasan speaks with several of the athletes. [Alessandro Rota/Al Jazeera]
Duhok Female Tennis Club /Please Do Not Use
Murals have been painted inside the club's storage room. [Alessandro Rota/Al Jazeera]
Duhok Female Tennis Club /Please Do Not Use
Hasan offers some pointers to Lava Aree, who is studying sports science and says she enjoys competing at tennis tournaments. [Alessandro Rota/Al Jazeera]
Advertisement
Duhok Female Tennis Club /Please Do Not Use
A younger club member takes a break during a training session. [Alessandro Rota/Al Jazeera]
Duhok Female Tennis Club /Please Do Not Use
Club members pose for a team photo. [Alessandro Rota/Al Jazeera]
Duhok Female Tennis Club /Please Do Not Use
Players perform warm-up exercises before a training session, including running and stretching. [Alessandro Rota/Al Jazeera]
Duhok Female Tennis Club /Please Do Not Use
The tennis club has won a variety of trophies from tournaments throughout Iraq, including in the Kurdish region. [Alessandro Rota/Al Jazeera]
Duhok Female Tennis Club /Please Do Not Use
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]


    • About Us
    • Code of Ethics
    • Terms and Conditions
    • EU/EEA Regulatory Notice
    • Privacy Policy
    • Cookie Policy
    • Cookie Preferences
    • Sitemap
    • Community Guidelines
    • Work for us
    • HR Quality
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise with us
    • Apps
    • Channel Finder
    • TV Schedule
    • Podcasts
    • Submit a Tip
    • Al Jazeera Arabic
    • Al Jazeera English
    • Al Jazeera Investigative Unit
    • Al Jazeera Mubasher
    • Al Jazeera Documentary
    • Al Jazeera Balkans
    • AJ+
    • Al Jazeera Centre for Studies
    • Al Jazeera Media Institute
    • Learn Arabic
    • Al Jazeera Centre for Public Liberties & Human Rights
    • Al Jazeera Forum
    • Al Jazeera Hotel Partners

Follow Al Jazeera English:

  • facebook
  • twitter
  • youtube
  • instagram-colored-outline
  • rss
Al Jazeera Media Network logo
© 2023 Al Jazeera Media Network