Dubai : The Nations Cup has been a pivotal tournament in the career of former UAE No 1 Omar Behroozian. Last week, he helped UAE to the final of the 21st edition at Al Nasr Leisureland, coming off a two-year injury lay-off that was triggered by a torn ligament which required surgery. Incidentally, the Nations Cup was also the last tournament he took part back in 2007, when he suffered the injury playing football.
Talking to XPRESS on the sidelines of the tournament, the 27-year-old, who had been a regular at the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championship, having featured in the ATP World Tour 500 event over half-a-dozen times, revealed this was the start of a serious attempt at making a comeback before turning to coaching. "I am trying to ease myself back into tennis. It's unfortunate that I got injured when I was probably playing the best tennis of my life," he said.
So, what if the comeback doesn't materialise the way he wants?
"I have always wanted to get into coaching. I didn't miss playing the game so much during these last two years. I have been the non-playing captain for UAE in the Davis Cup, besides being a coach at the GCC Championships," Behroozian said, adding: "Very soon I shall be going for ITF level one and two licences."
The bespectacled player revealed that the main reason he wanted to coach was because of the lack of quality players here.
"Hardly any player, Emirati or otherwise, has come through in the last two years.
"Fact is, we have many academies and foreign coaches, but hardly any of them seem to have any interest in producing players.
"I know for a fact that it's money which brings them here. I want to change that, it's the least I can do for my country," he said.
