Majeed al Asfoor shines in Cairo, wins gold at 70. More laurels await…

Omani tennis legend, Majeed bin Abdullah al Asfoor, 70, continues to shine and inspire young athletes across the Arab world.

Asfoor recently clinched the gold medal in men’s doubles at a friendly tournament held in Cairo. The event, organised to strengthen sporting ties between Bahrain and Egypt, saw Asfoor partner with Bahraini player Abdul Latif Mohammed Ahmed. The duo’s skill, coordination, and experience on court led them to an impressive victory — a triumph of determination over time.

A pioneer of tennis in Oman, Asfoor has long been a driving force in promoting the sport locally. As a former President of the Oman Tennis Association, he played a crucial role in nurturing emerging talent and expanding the country’s participation in regional and international tournaments.

Among his many achievements, he notably captured the mixed doubles gold medal at the 2020 Arab Senior Tennis Championship, further cementing his place among the region’s tennis greats.

Despite his age, Asfoor maintains a rigorous training routine and continues to compete in tournaments around the world. His next target is the Arab Senior Championship scheduled for May 2026 in Egypt, where he aims to once again make Oman proud.

Speaking to Muscat Daily, Asfoor said, “Age is just a number. What truly matters is passion, discipline, and the will to keep improving.”

In a message to aspiring athletes, Asfoor emphasised that true success begins with love for the game.

“A tennis player must love the sport as much as they love their work, their partner, their children, and their family,” he said. “That passion is what fuels progress.”

He encourages young players to compete regularly, aiming for 150–200 matches a year — a benchmark he recalls from an International Tennis Federation (ITF) meeting.

Physical fitness, he adds, is fundamental. Regular workouts to strengthen the knees, legs, feet, arms, hands, and shoulders can help prevent common joint and muscle injuries. Proper nutrition and rest are equally vital.

Asfoor advises players to choose healthy, vitamin-rich meals while avoiding fast food and heavy fats. Adequate sleep and consistent training, he notes, are non-negotiable pillars of success. He also urges players to practise on varied court surfaces — grass, clay, hard, indoor, and outdoor — to develop adaptability and all-round mastery of the sport.

Majid Asfoor stresses that every athlete must be patient, as each training session and match is a new building block in the journey of dedication and perseverance toward achieving great ambitions.

He noted that constantly watching matches and tournaments around the world is a vital learning experience through which players gain deeper knowledge of the game, refine their technical skills, and uncover its hidden nuances.

Warning against the danger of arrogance, Asfoor described it as “a destructive trait that undermines morale and leads to a decline in performance,” stressing that “every success or peak achievement brings new challenges that require greater commitment.”

He added, “What we see on the global tennis stage is the result of relentless effort, sacrifice, patience, and endurance. The road to success is long and demands a strong will and big dreams.”

Asfoor urged young players to always seek advice from those with experience and deep understanding of the game’s evolving demands, noting that “saying you’ve arrived means you’ve given up the weapon of hard work and continuous training.”

He concluded, “Keep working after every moment of success or setback, for there is always light at the end of the road. Age is just a number. Stay committed, stay disciplined – that’s the real key to success.”