@ZayedSportsCity UAE NUMBER ONE BEHROUZIAN AIMING FOR TENNIS CUP GLORY

Omar Behrouzian is determined to take the first amateur tennis trophy of the year when the Men’s Open section of the Wilson Tennis Cup presented by Healthpoint gets underway at Zayed Sports City this weekend.
The UAE number one has prepared well for the tournament having just returned from a tournament in the UK where, according to the 31-year-old, he played his best tennis in a long time.
“I go into every tournament hoping to win, and this is no different,” said the 31-year-old. “I was very pleased with how I played in the UK recently and I am enjoying my tennis at the moment, so I am really looking forward to this one.”
Behrouzian is hot favorite to take the Men’s Open title this year after last year’s winner, Peter Wessels, was ruled out with a knee injury. 
“It’s a shame Peter is not playing,” added Behrouzian. “He is a great guy and we have a mutual respect for each other. He doesn’t play too often because he does a lot of coaching, but when we play each other he is consistently at a very high level.” 
Despite his main competitor for the title being out of the running, Behrouzian knows he will not have it all his own way. His teammate and the UAE’s number two, Hamad Abbas Al Janahi, will be hoping to beat his mentor for the first time ever.  
“Hamad and I are very good friends. He has never beaten me, but tennis is one of those games where you can never take anything lightly.
“There are a whole lot of young players coming through who will be waiting to make a name for themselves. I have learned over the years that the more successful I am, the more people want to beat me. They play better because they have nothing to lose, whereas I have everything to lose.
“There are also new coaches coming to the country all the time. No one knows how good they are until they play in a tournament like the Wilson Tennis Cup.”
As well as the number one and number two Emirati players, other known contenders for the title include the Netherlands’ Roy De Valk, whose brother-in-law is current ATP star Robin Haase (currently ranked 45 in the world).
Kirk Rebuyas, a 19-year-old from the Philippines who will soon be studying in the US on a tennis scholarship is one to look out for, as is Sasa Ljumic, who has been tipped for big things.
In the Ladies Open, favourite Magali De Lattre will hope to retain the title, but faces tough opposition from prodigious 17-year-old Sanjana Sudhir.
Behrouzian praised Zayed Sports City and the organisers of the Wilson Tennis Cup presented by Healthpoint, but admitted that overall he was disappointed with the lack of opportunities to play competitive tennis tournaments in the UAE.
“There aren’t enough competitive tournaments here,” he said, “so this one in Abu Dhabi is very important.
“When I was a child there were about ten, now there are about three each year, which is why I have to go abroad to play competitively.
“But this tournament is very well organised and the courts are excellent, so it is one I look forward to.” 

For more information please visit: www.zsc.ae.