“Despite all the criticism Djokovic gets, he does seem to care a little bit about the guys who are a little bit further down. There hasn’t been a whole lot from Federer and Nadal in terms of supporting anyone outside the top 100.”
Even before his teens, Conor Niland knew that his life was unusual. While his friends hung around at the weekend, Niland and his mother would travel across Europe to play in international tennis tournaments, competing against a clutch of junior players who would ultimately rise to the very top of the sport.
Tennis would go on to define his life - from a scholarship in the US to a seven-year career touring the world as a professional player. But while some of those he played against as a teen earned fame and fortune, Niland existed just outside of the rarified status of the world’s top 100. His peak ranking, 129, makes him Ireland’s best-ever player, but it did not secure him a place at the top table. Instead, he fought on the lower tours, peaking in 2011 when he qualified for both the US Open and Wimbledon. He retired a year later.
He has just published his memoir, The Racket, which chronicles the life of a journeyman tennis player trying to earn a living in a hierarchical system. In this podcast, he reflects upon his career, identifies the key turning points, and examines why Ireland does not produce more international-standard tennis players.
