👦 Humam Essam | Tennis Papers interview, December 2025

“My dream is to play tennis at an American college.”

Meet Humam Essam, Iraqi boy junior tennis player who lives in CITY, COUNTRY and competing in U16 tennis category.
Humam is ranked among the top 3 players in Iraq in his age category and participates in AFT and CAT international tournaments.

(Information gathered via an exclusive interview by Tennis Papers).

📘 Humam Essam | Biography, December 2025

🌆 Baghdad, Iraq 🇮🇶

🏛️ Once the center of the Islamic Golden Age
📚 Home to stories, poets & scholars
🌴 Lined with palm trees along the Tigris River
🍢 Rich in traditional dishes & warm tea
🤍 A city of resilience, soul & history

🎙️Humam Essam | Interview, December 2025

Hello, introduce yourself please.

My name is Humam Essam, I was born on November 30, 2008.
I live in Baghdad, Iraq.

What languages do you speak?

Arabic And English.

At what age did you start playing tennis?

I started at 13 years old

Are there other tennis players in your family?

My brother and father.

In which club do you train?

At the Hunting Club.

Who are your coaches?

My coach is my brother.

What is your weekly training routine?

I play tennis for six days, then rest one day. On each day I train for six hours, doing some cool-down exercises and stretches, focusing on leg movement, and paying attention to my diet. On my rest day, I play a different sport to help me return with renewed enthusiasm for the second week.

As an athlete, what is your greatest quality and what do you need to improve?

I have a very good physique, very good offensive skills, and a very good forehand and backhand from the back line.
I need to take care of the volley and defensive shots.

What is your junior category and your national ranking?

Under-16, ranked #3

What has been your greatest achievement?

My greatest success was playing in many international tournaments and achieving good results, and in local tournaments I was always outstanding.

In which countries have you already played tournament?

I played tournaments twice in Egypt, twice in Tunisia, twice in Iran, and in Turkey for training only.

Do you have any sponsors?

I don’t have.

What is your goal for 2026?

My goal is to graduate from high school and play tennis in American universities.

What is your tennis dream?

My dream is to play tennis at an American college.

Who are your favorite tennis players?

Carlos Alcaraz.

What do you like to do outside of tennis?

I enjoy boxing, padel, football, and swimming. I love going out with my friends and sharing sports opinions with them. I also enjoy sports discussions with adults to broaden my understanding of the sport.

To which people would you like to dedicate this interview?

To my mother, father, brother, and coach.

Thanks a lot Humam!
Tennis Papers wishes you the best in your tennis life 💜🩷