Three Clubs, One Dream: The Jomana Kassab Story

"Everyone, put your hands up for Jomana Kassab, the 2024 Table Tennis Saudi Games Youth Champion!"

It was a life-changing moment for Jomana. She is only 16, but an emerging talent in Saudi Arabia. Some would argue she is the best. Jomana discovered table tennis through her dad, who played professionally when he was younger, and he made her fall in love with it. From the moment she started playing, she knew she wanted to be a professional player. She always took it seriously, never putting in her head that she was playing as a hobby. To this day, Jomana's biggest support and motivation is her family.

When Jomana tells people in Saudi Arabia that she plays table tennis professionally, there is usually some surprise. Many do not expect table tennis to be a serious sport. But when they see the effort she puts into training and tournaments, they start to take it seriously.

A Special Case

Jomana is a very special case. She is one of the best in Saudi Arabia, but the rules do not allow her to compete in most tournaments. Any youth player who is not born in Saudi Arabia or is not a Saudi citizen cannot compete in table tennis competitions in the Kingdom, except for the Saudi Games and the Open tournament. Jomana is Egyptian, but she has lived most of her life in Saudi Arabia. Rather than see this as a barrier, she used it as motivation. She has already won both tournaments she was allowed to enter. In 2023, Jomana defeated Sarouj to become the women's Open champion.

The Road to Champion

Her journey to become the Saudi Youth Games champion was not easy. It was full of stress and nerves, but she was thrilled to prove herself in one of the most competitive tournaments in Saudi Arabia. Playing in the final against her teammate from Al Ettifaq, Zahra Al Abbad, made it even harder. When you play your teammate, you both know each other's game very well. But Jomana found a way.

For Jomana, success is constant improvement. Medals are there just to prove she is on the right track.

Jomana in action, playing with passion and intensity

Three Clubs, One Journey

Like me, Jomana lives in the tri-city area of Khobar, Dammam, and Dhahran. Jomana started her journey training with her dad. Then she joined Al Nahda club in Al Khobar along with her younger sister Judi. That is where we first met. I remember the first time we played. She was younger, quieter, but there was something different about her. Every ball mattered. Every point mattered.

When we trained together, I noticed it even more. The way she locked in during drills when the rest of us were getting tired. The way she listened when the coach gave corrections. Most players nod and then keep doing what they were doing. Jomana would fix it on the next ball. Sometimes instantly. That is not normal. That is talent combined with the discipline to actually listen.

Due to funding cuts, Al Nahda stopped table tennis for girls. Jomana moved to Al Ettifaq. After two years, Al Ettifaq stopped the game completely. Jomana had to move again. This is the reality of a growing sport. Clubs are still experimenting with what works, and table tennis in Saudi Arabia is still finding its footing.

Things are changing now, though, with a new federation. Al Nahda restated its table tennis program this year, but it is still in the second division. Some of our friends, who excelled in the sport, decided to step away. It is not easy to move from club to club, to adapt to new training times, to travel further each day.

The Gap

When Jomana watches videos of players training in China, Japan, or Europe, she notices the difference immediately.

But she also knows that every table tennis nation started somewhere. Saudi Arabia is on that journey. Today, Jomana plays for Al Qadsiah.

Despite all the changes, she stays motivated by setting a specific goal. When things outside her control shift, she treats them as challenges, not dead ends.

More Than an Athlete

The table tennis community in Saudi Arabia, Jomana says, is diverse. The atmosphere is a mix of support and competition. It is still developing, and that is not a weakness. It means there is room to build something. The federation itself recently changed its management and board, signaling a new chapter for the sport in the Kingdom.

Jomana is more than a professional table tennis player. She is a person like any of us who manages her time between school, sport, and family. Having a name, a reputation, and a standing in the community is her personal dream, and she chose sports as a medium to achieve that.

Jomana achieved many great things and became an important part of the Saudi table tennis community. But it was a bumpy road with three club changes, eligibility rules limiting her competitions, and having to show up every day for training. Table tennis did help her find herself and her identity, though.

And if she learned something along the way, it is patience.

The Dream

If Jomana's life was a movie, it would be an action movie. One with several challenges, but with immense dedication from the main character. And every scene would be a step closer to her main dream: competing internationally.

Jomana is 16 years old. She has already won the Saudi Games. She has already been a champion. And she is still just getting started. The road ahead is long, and the dream of competing internationally will require even more sacrifice. But Saudi table tennis is moving forward, and players like Jomana are proof of what is possible when talent meets dedication.