The Racket by former Irish tennis professional player Conor Niland has scooped the prestigious William Hill Sports Book of the Year award.
Niland is only the third Irish winner after Paul Kimmage’s Rough Ride in 1990 and Paul Gibson and Eamonn Magee in 2018 for The Lost Sould of Eamonn Magee.
The book, written with Irish sports journalist Gavin Cooney, charts the story of pro tennis’ 99%: the players who roam the globe in hope of climbing the rankings and squeaking into the Grand Slam tournaments.
Niland said he was “somewhat shellshocked” after winning the prestigious award.
Speaking from London, where the awards ceremony was held this afternoon, he said it was humbling to have won in a shortlist of nominees that included British athlete Kelly Holmes.
The 43-year-old described many “sliding doors moments” in his tennis career and that he was inspired to write about it about it after he was approached to tell his “interesting story” that goes beyond the Grand Slams.
“We all tune into Wimbledon every year for two weeks and this was a chance to show a sport that is very well known but I think somewhat misunderstood,” he said.
“I think it has been eye-opening for people to see what the life of a tennis player is really like and certainly someone trying to get into the bigtime.”
He said he hopes that aspiring tennis players might “take a bit from the book” and learn also from his mistakes.
It shares details of his professional tennis experience “at a ranking where he was getting glimpses of the very top but also spending time on the lower rungs.”
He said since the book was published he has had received messages from others in careers in the spotlight who can relate to his personal story.
“I have had messages from musicians and actors who are on the periphery of their world aswell and they say they have seen a little bit of themselves in that.”
He has no idea yet what he will spend the prize money of €30,000 on. “This whole thing has felt so improbable I didn’t even have a speech ready,” he said.”
On the shortlist of six for the award, it marks the first time a tennis book has claimed world’s longest established literary sports-writing prize.
“I accept this award with a lot of humility,” Niland said.
“The other shortlisted books are incredible stories so I feel very fortunate to have won and so grateful.”
Niland retired from the professional ranks in 2012 due to a persistent hip injury.
The Limerick native, who in December 2010 reached a career high ranking of 129, began his professional career in 2005 after completing a tennis scholarship at the University of California in Berkeley.
He had a distinguished career for the Irish Davis Cup team winning 17 of the 29 matches he played since making his debut in 2000 and won three events on the ATP Challenger Tour, the most recent being the Salzburg Indoor Championships in November 2010 and won five ITF Futures events.
In 2011 he made history by becoming the first Irishman in more than a quarter of a century to qualify for the main draw at Wimbledon.
Additional reporting Karen Creed