Former Limerick tennis professional scoops prestigious William Hill Sports Book of the Year

FORMER Limerick tennis professional Conor Niland has won the prestigious William Hill Sports Book of the year award for 2024 with his memoir The Racket: On Tour with Tennis’s Golden Generation.

The Racket becomes the first tennis book to clinch the world’s longest established and most valuable literary sports-writing prize in its history and Niland is the first author from the Republic of Ireland to win since Paul Kimmage’s Rough Ride: Behind the Wheel with a Pro Cyclist in 1990.

Niland’s autobiography describes the highs and lows of his career on the ATP Tour, revealing the hardships of the majority of players struggling to balance the books as they seek to breakthrough against the game’s best.

The Racket, ghostwritten by sports journalist Gavin Cooney, is an underdog story that lifts the lid on the perils of match-fixing and doping in tennis, while also sharing light-hearted tales of Niland’s seven years on the road.

Niland told: “I’m floating. I can’t believe it. I felt like the The Racket could have a chance, but to actually win the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award is just amazing.

“Tennis is something that gets quite serious quite early. It becomes your identity and you’re always defined by the number of your ranking. I hope this book helps young players and parents to understand the reality of tennis.

“The perception of tennis is that people tune in for the four Grand Slams and see it all to be big cheques and strawberries and cream. But for all the guys lower down the rankings, grinding it out to make it there, it is a lot more difficult.
 
“I was fortunate enough to be just outside the top 100 so I caught glimpses of the very top, but I also spent a lot of time lower down the rankings which is why I was able to show both sides of the story in this book.

“I was only able to really move on from that when I was writing the book. I used to think about my Wimbledon loss every day. That happens less and less since writing this book and I’m just over the moon with what this book turned out to be.”

Expressing his pride in picking up the award, Niland added: “There haven’t been many Irish people to win the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award, so it really is a dream come true to fly the flag for Ireland.

“I’ve loved some of the William Hill winners of the past, they’re some of my favourite books. They’re also books that stick around, and I wasn’t sure whether this book would last a summer, or six months, but having won this award, I hope it sticks around a little bit longer!”

The debut release from the 43-year-old was one of six books shortlisted for this year’s award, which was decided by a six-person judging panel and announced in central London this afternoon, with Niland beating off competition from the likes of double Olympic champion Kelly Holmes and Afghanistan women’s football captain Khalida Popal.

Panel praise an ‘astonishing’ winnerNiland’s memoir was crowned the winner by a judging panel comprised of chair Alyson Rudd, Clarke Carlisle, Gabby Logan, Dame Heather Rabbatts, Mark Lawson and Michelle Walder. In addition to the prestigious trophy, Niland also claims the winning £30,000 prize. 

Rudd said: “We are delighted to present Conor Niland with the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award 2024 for his astonishing autobiography, The Racket.

“This prize seeks to highlight the best in sports writing and there is no doubting the fact that Conor’s work is of the highest calibre, offering a fascinating insight into his career as a tennis professional.

“The book brings the reader into the world of elite sport, but also emphasises the relatable underdog story of an everyman fighting against the odds to fulfil their dreams.

“The panel wishes to praise all six nominated authors and another year of stunning releases, showcasing the rich diversity of perspectives and experiences.”

Niland’s celebrates ‘improbable’ win

Winning author Niland said: “I accept this award with a lot of humility. The other shortlisted books are incredible stories so I feel very fortunate to have won and so grateful.

“This is all pretty improbable. My brother told me I would win the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award when he read this last Christmas, I took that with a pretty large pinch of salt, but he was right. It’s amazing.

“The pro tennis tour is a little bit of a misunderstood sport, we were able to show what the world is really like, for the guys a little bit further down the rankings.”

Diverse shortlist

Niland was nominated alongside David Peace, who told the story of Manchester United in the months following the 1958 Munich air crash, in his book Munichs.Double Olympic champion Kelly Holmes was also shortlisted with her autobiography Unique, as was former British champion swimmer Rebecca Achieng Ajulu-Bushell’s memoir These Heavy Black Bones.

Also included on this year’s shortlist was My Beautiful Sisters by Afghanistan women’s football captain Khalida Popal and When I Passed The Statue Of Liberty I Became Black – a posthumous memoir written by Britain’s first Black Olympic medallist Harry Edward, edited by Neil Duncanson.

The William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award is dedicated to rewarding excellence in sports writing and was first presented in 1989. The award is the world’s longest established and most valuable literary sports-writing prize. 

https://news.williamhill.com/sport/sports-book-of-the-year/