Newsflash: Great successes at Fitzwilliam
CONOR GANNON - NATIONAL CHAMPION 2020
As I am sure you are now well aware the exceptional Conor Gannon is the National Junior Champion of Ireland after winning the Boys Under 18s singles title at Fitzwilliam on Saturday. It may have been a bittersweet moment for Monkstown members, who have earned an enviable reputation on the tennis circuit for the sizeable and vocal support we give to our fellow members who compete in open tournaments like Fitzwilliam, but the absence of supporters courtside does not take from the pride and delight that we all share on the back of Conor’s fantastic achievement.
The nuts and bolts of his tournament week are impressive; he came through the tournament without dropping a set and produced his best and most assured display in the final against the top seed and defending champion Ammar Elamin. What is more impressive – and what is standard for Conor – is the class and humility he carries on and off the court. The example he sets in competing in such a competitive tennis environment is something we can all gain inspiration from. This is down in no small part to his parents Dave and Karen who are the very embodiment of what the proper tennis parent should be. Supportive, attentive and caring without applying pressure or stress to their talented children. Dave and Karen’s visible yet understated presence at Conor’s matches (and those of Conor’s brothers Jack and Ben) is “tennis-parenting” at its best. We are so thrilled for the Gannon family.
Conor’s loyalty and commitment to Monkstown LTC is without question. Since he first stepped onto the courts as a six-year-old he has immersed himself in all threads of the club’s activities. I wonder is he aware of the joy that he brings to watching members when he competes for the Men’s First Team alongside fellow national junior champions Scott Barron, Michael McMahon and George McGill and Head Coach Stephen O’Shea who has helped chart Conor’s steep career trajectory since those early first forehands that the six-year-old Conor struck? He is the reigning Club Champion and is once again featuring in this year’s Championships. Where does he find the time and energy?!
We look forward to the time in the – hopefully – very near future when we can come together as a club and collectively congratulate and acknowledge Conor on this latest victory. In the meantime we wish him continued success and convey to him the pride that we feel for his outstanding tennis exploits.
SCOTT BARRON – NATIONAL JUNIOR FINALIST
In his first year at Under 14 level Scott Barron tore up the script and marched to the Boys U14 singles final at Fitzwilliam. Scott, who was unseeded at this year’s tournament, displayed incredible maturity and class in dispatching the number 2, number 4 and number 8 seeds to reach the final. To win successive matches against three higher-ranked players in the same week is some achievement and shows the steely determination that Scott has in his locker.
Scott fell short in the final against the top seed, Sean O’Nuallain, but the future is undoubtedly bright for this talented left-hander. His wonderful work ethic – witness the hours that he puts in on the courts – is sure to benefit him further as his career continues to blossom.
We are all so proud of Scott and congratulate him on his latest performances.
