Behroozian new GCC champion

The UAE's number one tennis talent Omar Behroozian took one more step towards realising his tennis ambitions when he wrested the GCC singles title from Kuwaiti top seed and defending GCC champion Mohamed Al Gharib (3-6; 7-6 (8); 6-3) at the Metropolitan Hotel and Beach Resort.

Behroozian fought off two match points yesterday to carve out one of his more memorable singles triumphs in a nerve wracking thriller.

Al Gharib, a two time GCC singles titleist, had to concede defeat to a fitter and vastly improved opponent. Behroozian had faltered in the final last year by going down to Al Gharib.

In this year's edition, he was more than prepared to make amends and he grabbed the opportunity with both hands.

The match was one which most finals are made off. Both players started strongly by displaying a wide arsenal of shots coupled with superb control and excellent court play. Both Behroozian and Al Gharib are by tennis disposition essentially baseliners.

Behroozian, however, was slower to take off from the blocks. Al Gharib broke him in the seventh game, but not before Behroozian pushed him on the back foot by forcing him to save two break points.

Drawing on his vast reserves of experience Al Gharib duly responded to the challenge and succeeded in saving the game. He then upped the ante by breaking Behroozian in the ninth game to clinch the first set.

Clearly, the fortunes of the match had by then started to take shape. Anticipating a slugfest on his way to defending his singles crown Al Gharib had erred by stretching his own parameters a shade too far.

The key to a baseline rally is fitness and speed and it was in these two departments that Behroozian started to edge forward.

Both players held serve on their way to what many perceived was going to be a routine straight sets workout for Al Gharib but Behroozian had other ideas.