UAE Tennis And Padel Federation Merger Approved Alongside New Board Of Directors

The UAE sports sector records a new step as Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of Sports, approves the merger of the UAE Tennis Federation and the UAE Padel Federation into one organisation named the UAE Tennis and Padel Federation, aiming to streamline management and support both sports.

Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi also confirms the new Board of Directors for the electoral cycle running until 2028, with the decision designed to align tennis and padel structures, enhance technical and administrative systems, and strengthen their visibility across local, regional, and international competitions through improved sports governance.

Under the new structure, Sheikh Hashar bin Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum becomes Honorary President of the UAE Tennis and Padel Federation, acknowledging long-standing efforts in building tennis and boosting its status in the UAE and the wider region, while Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum is appointed President of the Board of Directors.

During the first meeting of the UAE Tennis and Padel Federation board, members elected Ismail Al Hashemi as Vice President and chose Saeed Al Marri as Secretary-General, while the board also includes Khalifa Khouri, Mohammed Al Sharhan, Hassan Al Mazrouei, Issa Sharif, Marwan bin Issa, James Ward, Omar Al Marzouqi, and Fatima Bujsaim.

Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum thanks the previous boards of the Tennis and Padel Federations, noting that earlier work created strong foundations for both sports, supported local player pathways, and raised the UAE profile internationally, giving the new UAE Tennis and Padel Federation a platform for further structured growth.

Looking ahead, Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum explains that the new board of the UAE Tennis and Padel Federation intends to act as a single, cohesive team, advance tennis and padel performance, and align every initiative with the broader national sports vision and with the expectations of athletes across the country.

The merger that created the UAE Tennis and Padel Federation is presented as matching national plans to support fast-growing sports, unify organisational processes, improve governance efficiency, widen community participation, strengthen national squads, refine talent discovery and development programmes, and enhance the UAE capacity to host and organise major international tournaments.

The UAE Tennis and Padel Federation board is described as a group of specialists with technical and institutional experience, expected to guide the next stage of development, deepen strategic partnerships, and reinforce the UAE position as a key regional centre for tennis and padel within a clear, long-term framework.

With inputs from WAM