Nida Waseem (born 1 November 1982, Karachi) is a former tennis player from Pakistan. [1]
Waseem was born in Karachi. She started playing tennis when she was about 7 and continued with as she enjoyed the sport. [2] Her parents encouraged and supported her. [2] She earned her bachelor's degree from Boston College, Boston, United States and her law degree from the UK.
She was once the Pakistan's youngest national champion and was a dominant force on the national scene during her teenage years. [3] At an International Tennis Federation (ITF) junior ranking event, held in Islamabad in 2000, she beat the Indian player, Sania Mirza. [3] As a junior, she was in the top 10 players in Asia. [3] She took a break while she pursued her studies though she continued playing college tennis in the USA. While at Boston College she was the captain of the tennis team. [3]
Waseem represented Sindh in domestic tournaments. At the 30th National Games held at the CDGK Sports Complex in Karachi in 2007, Waseem won three golds: singles, doubles and team. [4] In singles, she beat Army's Natasha Afridi, 6-2 and 6–4. She paired with Farah Khurshid to beat the Army pair of Sara Mahboob Khan and Natasha Afridi, 6-2 and 6–2.
Waseem played in her first Fed Cup match as a 14 year old against Philippines' Marisue Jacutin on 11 March 1997 in Wellington, New Zealand. [5] She went on to lose it in 2 straight sets (0-6, 0-6). [5]
Outcome | No. | Date | Edition | Surface | Against | Opponent | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Runner-up | 1. | March 1997 |
1997 Fed Cup Asia/Oceania Zone II |
Hard | Philippines | Marisue Jacutin | 0-6, 0-6 |
Runner-up | 2. | March 1997 | Syria | Sara Taweel | 5-7, 3-6 | ||
Runner-up | 3. | March 1997 | Pacific Oceania | Tagifano So'onalole | 4-6, 4-6 | ||
Runner-up | 4. | March 1997 |
1997 Fed Cup Asia/Oceania Zone II (Play-Off) |
Hard | Singapore | Rui-Jing Wong | 1-6, 1-6 |
Runner-up | 5. | March 1997 | Sri Lanka | Sobhini Wickramahewa | 4-6, 4-6 | ||
Runner-up | 6. | February 1998 |
1998 Fed Cup Asia/Oceania Zone II |
Hard | India | Nirupama Vaidyanathan | 0-6, 1-6 |
Winner | 7. | February 1998 | Iraq | Ishraq Salman | 6-2, 6-1 | ||
Runner-up | 8. | February 1998 |
1998 Fed Cup Asia/Oceania Zone II (Play-Off) |
Hard | Malaysia | Chin-Bee Khoo | 0-6, 1-6 |
Runner-up | 9. | February 1998 | Kazakhstan | Alissa Velts | 6-7, 1-6 | ||
Winner | 10. | April 2000 |
2000 Fed Cup Asia/Oceania Zone II |
Hard | Sri Lanka | Sobhini de Silva | 6-0, 6-2 |
Runner-up | 11. | April 2000 | Philippines | Maricris Fernandez | 1-6, 6-7 | ||
Winner | 12. | April 2000 | Syria | Farah Dayoub | 6-2, 6-3 | ||
Winner | 13. | April 2000 | Jordan | Dina Naffa | 6-0, 6-1 |
Outcome | No. | Date | Edition | Surface | Against | Partner | Opponents | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Runner-up | 1. | March 1997 |
1997 Fed Cup Asia/Oceania Zone II |
Hard | Syria | Nosheen Ehtesham |
Farah Dayoub Sara Taweel |
0–6, 4–6 |
Runner-up | 2. | March 1997 | Pacific Oceania | Nosheen Ehtesham |
Tagifano SO'ONALOLE Adriana Thaggard |
1–6, 3–6 | ||
Winner | 3. | April 2000 |
2000 Fed Cup Asia/Oceania Zone II |
Hard | Syria | Nosheen Ehtesham |
Farah Dayoub Hazar Sidki |
6-3, 1–6, 6–1 |
Winner | 4. | April 2000 | Jordan | Nosheen Ehtesham |
Dina Ajani Dina Naffa |
6-2, 6–1 |
Waseem was awarded the President's Pride of Performance medal (2008) for her services to tennis. [6] The medal was accompanied by a cheque of Rs. 0.3 million.