He started the summer ranked outside the top 400 players in the country – but now Suffolk’s rising tennis star Matt Hough is looking to break into the UK top 50 by the end of the year.

East Anglian Daily Times: Matt Hough in actionMatt Hough in action

A memorable summer saw Hough climb the UK rankings, following a host of county and British Tour triumphs. Now, with the opportunity and ability to test himself at a higher-level, the three-time Suffolk Singles champion is well on course for the top 50.

Three quarter-finals in Cambridge, Swansea, and Glasgow, as well as a semi-final in Exeter in British Tour tournaments over the last two months, have left the self-employed tennis coach, whose current UK rank is 57th, with the appetite to achieve even more.

“It’s going pretty well,” admitted 25-year-old Hough, who now juggles his hectic work schedule at David Lloyd Ipswich and Roundwood Tennis Club with his new-found competitive streak – something that only really surfaced in the summer.

“I’d like to be in the top 50 in the UK by Christmas which I think will be tough but is achievable, and then moving forward to the end of the next summer I’d like to be world-ranked.

“It’s been a busy time. After the summer, I had a chat with my family, my clients, and my employees about whether I could give competing a proper good go.

“Fortunately everyone has been fantastic and I can’t thank them enough – my current schedule consists of working 10-hour days on Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesdays before heading off to weekly tournaments on Tuesdays where I’ll stay to until I get knocked out, or hopefully win.”

Up against competitors as highly-ranked as 650th in the world, Hough has set his standards and ambitions high, but with the passion, appetite, support, and ability on board, the sky is certainly the limit for a very talented local sportsman.