Meet the Muslim woman making history at Wimbledon

Who's this smartly blazered lady?

It's Aseel Shaheen, a line judge who is one of around 350 men and women officiating at Wimbledon this year. The team is instantly recognisable at the Championships thanks to its Ralph Lauren-designed blue blazers and white trousers or skirts.

So why is she in the news? Did she make a dodgy call?

Far from it. The 41-year-old is the first Arab women in history to officiate at Wimbledon. The majority of umpires and line judges at the Championships are British, but around 60 are invited to take part from overseas. Ms Shaheen is from Kuwait and became an official after enrolling on a course in 2002.

How did she make it to Wimbledon?

Although she admits she did not know "anything about tennis" before taking the course, she finished third in her class. "I kept going. It became a challenge for me because they would always nominate the guys and ignore me," she said. "I told them I wanted to be an international umpire, I have the qualification and I have the language skills, because I speak good English. So I went to officiating school."

And how does she feel about making history?

"It's an indescribable feeling being here," she told the website Sport360° earlier this week. "It's something big, it's a challenge." Although she was initially worried she wouldn't be welcomed because she wears a hijab, she said the All England Club had "really accepted me". She added: "My wearing the hijab and working on court during a tennis match at Wimbledon is a sign that the world is starting to accept us more."

Are there any pitfalls to being a line judge?

Plenty. Wimbledon officials are frequently subjected to icy stares – and occasionally harsh words – from players who disagree with their often contentious decisions. However, the introduction of Hawk-Eye technology on many of the courts has made their job less pressurised. But they still need to be wary of wayward serves, often amusing the crowd with their dignified attempts to get out of the way.

Photo via: Reem Abulleil/Sport360

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