Under the supervision of the International Tennis Federation (ITF), the Egyptian Tennis Federation (ETF) hosted three ITF Women's Future tournaments in Sharm El-Sheikh with each tournament allocating $10,000 as prize money. The 18-year-old Sherif won the singles title of the second ITF Future tournament. The first was held from 14-20 January while the third competition took place from 28 January to 3 February. The second tournament was held at the Jolie Ville Golf Resort Tennis Club in Sharm El-Sheikh from 21-27 January. Participating countries were Egypt, Oman, Belarus, Belgium, France, Ukraine, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Great Britain, Turkey, Italy, Poland, Russia, Romania, Switzerland, Slovenia, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, The Netherland and Portugal. In the women's singles final, Sherif beat Bulgarian first seed and world number 272 Aleksandrina Naydenova 6-2, 2-6, 6-1. In the semi-final, Naydenova had beaten Switzerland's world number 727 Xenia Knoll 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 while Sherif defeated Austria's world number 382 Melanie Khalffner 6-2, 7-5. In the quarter-final, Sherif beat Russian world number 516 and eight seed Ekaterina Yashina 6-4, 6-0. In the second round Sherif defeated Slovenian Nikola Vajdova 6-1, 6-1. In the first round, Sherif beat Slovenian Kristina Kucova 6-4, 6-2. In women's doubles, Belarusian Lidziya Marozava and Russian Eugeniya Pashkova breezed past Austrian Klaffner and Turkish Melis Sezer 6-3, 6-1. In the semi-final, Marozava and Pashkova crushed Russian Daria Mironova and Serbia's Kristina Ostojic 6-1,6-1 while Klaffner and Sezer defeated Knoll and Croatia's Silvia Njric 6-2,6-2. President of the Egyptian Tennis Federation (ETF) Israa Al-Sanhouri told Al-Ahram Weekly that she believes Sherif is a talented player. “She has good potential. If she sticks to her training programme she can achieve big results.” Sherif recently went to Spain where she trained at the Juan Carlos Ferrero tennis academy for seven months. Her sponsor paid the expenses for her residence and training. The ETF is currently readying for the African Junior Championship for boys and girls 18 and under, to be held in South Africa from 18-22 February. Egypt will send seven boys and four girls to the four-day tournament: Sandra Sameh, Habiba Lasheen, Dona Abo-Habaga, Safaa Mathana, Youssef Sherif, Bassam Mekawi, Akram Al-Sallali, Mohab Hamed, Ahmed Alaa, Omar Shamel and Omar Argoun. All are currently taking part in international championships in Tunisia and Kenya.
