KUWAIT CITY, July 23: Kuwaiti referee Mohammad Al- Shatti on Sunday said he was “honored” to have represented his home nation as he made his officiating debut during the final contest of tennis’ showpiece Wimbledon event last week. Al-Shatti, who was among the group of referees to have taken charge of the final contest of the biggest spectacle in the sport of tennis, in which Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz dethroned seven-time champion Novak Djokovic, told KUNA via telephone that he was thrilled to have taken part in an event of such magnitude.

The Kuwaiti referee’s maiden appearance on the global stage preceded his time in charge of regional tennis events at home and other Gulf Arab countries including Qatar, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, citing these experiences as a “gateway” that catapulted him into the limelight. He went on to say that referees are under constant scrutiny when taking part in such significant events, pointing out that such assessment is crucial in dictating whether or not they are competent enough to handle such pressure. Al-Shatti’s debut at Wimbledon 2023 was the culmination point of a storied career as a tennis referee, he underlined, attributing that achievement to the overwhelming support he was given at home. (KUNA)