Dubai: The UAE’s top tennis player is convinced the sport is headed in the right direction after the recent overhaul of the UAE Rankings Programme by Tennis Emirates (TE).

Suspended for a few years due to various factors, TE has started implementing its UAE Rankings system while organising several age group competitions through the season, giving youngsters much-needed match opportunities. As per the most recent rankings, Omar Behroozian remains the UAE’s top tennis player in the men’s category with 6,500 points to his name followed by Dubai-based Iranian Davis Cup player Amirvala Madanchi (4,300) and Connor Thomson (4,300).

Behroozian was among a handful of top-ranked players who were felicitated by Shaikh Hasher Al Maktoum, the TE President, in the presence of board members Nasser Al Marzouqi and Ahmad Abdul Malik.

“This is a sport I love and the years have seen me get better and better. I have played in four tournaments so far this season and I can see why it is important to have a rankings system. Perhaps, we lost out a bit when we discontinued it, but now things are back on track and I can see a better future for our sport,” Behroozian told Gulf News after accepting his award from Shaikh Hasher earlier this week.

“I may not have the speed I had a few years ago, but I now have a sense of utilising my energy in the right direction and using my experience while on court. I can do as much as I can, and I will see how far and how much I can go in the future,” he added.

Now 35, Behroozian spends part of his team coaching young players. “At times it is tough for me to find time, but I try and make time and keep myself fit by playing in competitions. There was a time when I used to be out on court all the time. But now I make good use of the time and use my experience instead,” he said.

“I don’t know how long I will go on. But I do know that I will only stop when I stop enjoying my sport,” he added.

The senior player, who is the only one from the UAE who has been honoured by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) for his services to the sport, is convinced that the rankings system will push young players towards higher goals. “As a player, you need competition to assess your capabilities. Now we have a rise in the number of events and this can only be of help to all tennis players. We are headed in the right direction,” Behroozian observed.