The Saudi 18-year-old had beaten Israel’s Rene Nikishov to set up a quarter-final clash with Britain’s Jady Cole, but a stomach virus forced her to pull out JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s rising tennis star Yara Al-Hogbani has had her impressive run at the Nairobi International Tennis Championship halted at the quarter-final stage due to illness. Social media erupted with praise for the 18-year-old after she defeated her Israeli competitor Rene Nikishov at the championship in two straight sets on Thursday. Despite her young age, Al-Hogbani had already proven herself on the international stage by defeating Kenya’s Alicia Oigi in the first round. She then defeated Romanian Maya Bisan in two sets (6-1, 6-2) in the second round, before sweeping off Nikishoff 6-0, 6-2, to set up a quarter-file match with Britain’s Jady Cole. However, a stomach virus has prevented Al-Hogbani from participating in the quarter-finals and on Friday she wrote on her Twitter page: “I apologize to everyone, the stomach virus and the high body temperature deprive me of the quarter-final match against the British (opponent), God willing, I will be compensated in the March tournaments.” The young Saudi became a professional player from an early age and has represented her country at several world championships, including recently at the Dubai International Championship where she lost to Russia’s Kira Matoshikina in the second round. She is the first Saudi female tennis player to turn professional, and has been registered at Al-Ittihad club since 2018.