Al Janahi richer with experience

Dubai: Hamad Abbas Al Janahi, one of the UAE's most promising tennis juniors, has returned to the country following a pretty successful summer abroad.

Al Janahi, who turned 16 last month, won the doubles title and finished runner-up in the singles at the 11th Azadi Junior World Ranking Tournament 2006 that concluded in the first week of this month in Tehran.

Al Janahi teamed up with Qatar's Abdullah Al Haji to claim the doubles crown, while he went down in straight sets to German opponent Navid Johannighmann in the singles final.

"I think the success was due to the hard work I've put in during the early part of the summer," Al Janahi told Gulf News.

The summer programme was a personal initiative from the Al Janahi family, led by his father Abbas Al Janahi.

The exposure formed the ideal preparations for the Arab Tennis Junior Teams Championships, which was held in Egypt last month.

Al Janahi started off his preparations by participating in the ITF Syria Group IV tournament. He then shifted to Jordan where he lost in the quarterfinals in the singles and the doubles competitions.

The UAE juniors next moved to Tunisia where they camped for a couple of weeks undergoing regular training and participating in at least three internal competitions in Tunis.

In these competitions, Al Janahi won one, lost in the final of the other and had to make a premature exit due to the Arab competition in Egypt after reaching the semifinals of the third.

"It has been a pretty satisfying summer for me personally," Al Janahi said. "There is so much I have learnt by just taking part in such competitions."

In the Arab Tennis Junior Teams Championships, the UAE did well and missed out narrowly on a bronze medal.

Al Janahi was the pick of the players as he won all four of his singles matches against Algeria, Qatar, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia.

"All we needed was one more win either in the singles or the doubles and we could have reached the semifinals and at least a bronze medal," Al Janahi said.

Despite such an experience, Al Janahi would have participated in another three ITF level competitions. "But we could not travel to Lebanon and Syria due to the war at that time," Al Janahi added.

"But I am happy with the way I have progressed in my game. My experience has improved and I am much more consistent in keeping the ball in the court. My fitness too has improved and I am sure all this will benefit me as the season starts again," he concluded.