Conor Niland - The Racket

WINNER OF THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD 2024 A darkly funny memoir about the strange and fascinating world of professional tennis. When Conor Niland was 16, he got the chance to hit with Serena Williams at Nick Bollettieri's famed tennis academy. Conor, the Irish junior number one, was feeling a bit homesick. Serena, also 16, already owned her own house beside the academy. Conor Niland knows what it's like when Roger Federer walks into the dressing room ('Ciao, bonjour, hello!'), and he has had the exquisitely terrible experience of facing Novak Djokovic in the world's biggest tennis stadium - while suffering from food poisoning. But he never reached the very top. The Racket is the story of pro tennis's 99%: the players who roam the globe in hope of climbing the rankings and squeaking into the Grand Slam tournaments. It brings us into a world where a few dozen super-rich players - travelling with coaches and physios - share a stage with lonely touring pros whose earnings barely cover their expenses. Painting a vivid picture of the social dynamics on tour, the economics of the game, and the shadows cast by gambling and doping, The Racket is a witty and revealing underdog's memoir and a unique look inside a fascinating hidden world. 'Niland writes about the loneliness and absurdity of life on tour with an elegance and immediacy that makes readers feel as if they are alongside the battered pro trying so hard to reach a better life for himself.' Donald McRae, The Guardian Conor Niland grew up in Limerick, and was Ireland's top-ranked tennis player for much of his youth and all of his adult career. As a youth player he beat Roger Federer - and he still has his coach's notes on the match. His career peaked in 2011, when he reached the main draw of both Wimbledon and the US Open. He officially retired in April 2012 due to a recurring hip injury and has been the captain (head coach) of Ireland's Davis Cup team since 2015. ‘A stone-cold classic’ Malachy Clerkin, The Irish Times Doors open at 6.50pm. The evening will include a talk from Conor on his time on the tour, an audience Q&A and a book signing. There will be a bar and books available to buy. The venue is wheelchair accessible and has disabled facilities/ a hearing loop. Oundle Tennis Club is proud to support the Johnny Reynolds Foundation and will make a donation to the Foundation from any event profits.