Who is Izyan Ahmad ‘Zizou’, the boy Roger Federer gave a ‘pinky-promise’ and fulfilled it 5 years later?
Izyan Ahmad, nicknamed 'Zizou' with Roger Federer
Izyan Ahmad, nicknamed ‘Zizou‘ became a famous name this week after tennis great Roger Federer surprised him for a tennis match. Federer with the help of one of his sponsors, Barilla, arranged to surprise the now 11-year-old American boy who like Federer, hopes to become a tennis pro in the future.
The video was shared on social media platforms and received wide praise from tennis fans irrespective of their personal liking of Federer. Zizou had asked Federer back in 2017 to continue playing till he himself became a Pro and could take on the former World No. 1. Federer laughingly had agreed and said it was a ‘pinky promise’ from his end to continue playing and then have a match with Zizou.
Izyan Ahmad is the number 1 ranked Under-12 player in the USA
Izyan Ahmad, currently one of the top players in the Under-12 category in the USA actually hails from Kashmir, India and was born to father Farooq Ahmad and mother Nida Haji. The family has been in the USA for a long time with Farooq being a media professional in New Jersey whereas his mother Nida is a working professional in Tavant Technology, New York where she is the Director of Consumer Lending and Head of the Business Analysis Center of Excellence as reported by Free Press Kashmir.
Zizou is the number one ranked U-12 player in the USA and holds the rank in both singles and doubles disciplines. He trains at the John McEnroe Academy at Randall’s Island in New York and is part of the US National Tennis Development Program, making it quite certain that in near future he will be part of the ATP Tour given the guidance and coaching he is receiving.
The 11-year old already has sponsorship deals with Head and Solinco and has been made the US Tennis Association’s Eastern Ambassador showing the promise the federation has seen in him. Zizou later took to his Instagram handle and in a detailed caption showed his admiration towards Federer writing, “When the GOAT makes a promise, he keeps it!”
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Sarthak Shitole
(3462 Articles Published)