Mayar Sherif
She smashed ceilings for Egyptian tennis, becoming the first from her nation to win a WTA title and crack the world's top 40.
Born 1996 (age 30)·Egyptian tennis player·Birthday: May 5·Millennials
Biography
Mayar Sherif didn't follow a conventional path to the tennis tour. Hailing from Cairo, she balanced a collegiate career at Pepperdine University in the United States with her professional ambitions, earning a master's degree in sports medicine. This dual focus meant her rise was a steady climb rather than a meteoritic ascent. Turning fully professional after college, she honed her game on the ITF and WTA Challenger circuits, building a formidable record on clay. Her breakthrough was historic: in 2021, she became the first Egyptian woman to win a WTA tournament at the Cluj-Napoca event. Sherif's powerful groundstrokes and mental fortitude carried her deeper into Grand Slam draws, and in 2023, she broke into the world's top 40, setting a new high mark for any Egyptian player. More than just a ranking, she became a symbol of possibility, inspiring a new generation across Africa and the Middle East.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Mayar was born in 1996, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Mayar Was Born
The biggest hits of 1996
#1 Movie
Independence Day
Best Picture
The English Patient
#1 TV Show
ER
Mayar's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1996Born
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2001Started school
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2009Became a teenager
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2012Could drive
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2014Could vote
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2017Turned 21
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Turned 30
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Became the first Egyptian player to win a WTA Tour singles title at the 2021 Winners Open.
- Achieved a career-high WTA singles ranking of No. 31, the highest ever for an Egyptian man or woman.
- Won a record eight WTA 125 singles titles, demonstrating consistent dominance at the Challenger level.
- Reached the third round of the French Open in 2023, matching the best Grand Slam result for an Egyptian woman.
Did You Know?
She holds a Master's degree in Sports Medicine from Pepperdine University.
Sherif is fluent in Arabic, English, and Spanish.
Her older sister, Rana, is also a professional tennis player and they have played doubles together on tour.
“Every match I play is for my country and for every girl watching.”
