Tennis star Carr looking ahead to a big year

By Gerard Mulreaney (@gerard_sports)

Ireland’s Simon Carr heads into the 2020 tennis season with great confidence after having what he described as ‘a breakthrough year’ in 2019.

He secured his first ITF title in Tunisia in April, beating Christian Lindell of Sweden in straight sets, 6-1 6-3. Then, in July he helped Ireland to promotion into Group 3 of the Davis Cup, winning 4 out of his 5 matches. 

Just before Christmas Carr (pictured above) finished of the year by reaching the semi-finals of the ITF tournament in Heraklion, Greece. He beat Ryan Nijboer, Jakub Paul and Stuart Parker on the way to the semis, eventually losing to 17-year-old Russian Alibek Kachmazov 7-5 6-3.

When I spoke to him over the festive season, he was recharging his batteries as he looks to get himself further up the rankings in 2020. He was happy enough with the way 2019 went: “Yeah 2019 was a good year. It was a bit of a breakthrough year for me, winning my first futures title in singles, and making another final. I kind of substituted the $15K for the $25K’s with regards to maybe not wining as many tiles, but improve my level a bit more. I felt like I’ve done that and I’m a more accomplished player now in the $50K events. And for sure, in 2020 I’d like to win a few more titles and see how far, and how high in the rankings I can get.”

“It showed me that I can compete with and win tournaments like that, week in week out. I sort of used it as a springboard for the rest of the year, which I had a pretty decent rest of the year. I didn’t want another title but I competed at a higher-level, I feel, and my game was improving all the time. That really helped me out and I’m looking forward to winning a few more next year hopefully.” 

In Heraklion, despite his defeat in the singles, Carr teamed up with his first round singles opponent Ryan Nijboer to win the doubles competition. It was his first doubles title so he was understandably pleased: “Yeah it was my first doubles title. Always nice to nice to win your first one in anything. Myself and Ryan have played with each other in Juniors before and we’ve played a lot of  tournaments, so it was good for us to team up and take my first doubles title. He’s got a few, but it was good to get that.

“I think my game is pretty well suited to doubles as well. I’m a pretty good doubles player, with how my results have been this year. I don’t take it seriously but it is something I enjoy doing, and it’s something I can look forward to now doing in the future a little bit more.”

“Heraklion was a good week for me. I started playing well, I’d played a tournament the week before in a Universities event and I was playing pretty well. I was very happy to get through to semi-finals of the singles. To lose a close one was tough, and it’s always nice to win a doubles tournament with my partner. I was feeling pretty tired as it was the last week of the year, but it was nice to finish on a week like that.”

Carr and doubles partner Ryan Nijboer

It was probably inevitable that Carr, currently ranked 516, would end up an elite athlete. His father Tommy was a star player for the Dublin footballers, before going on to manage the team in 1997. He also managed both the Roscommon and Cavan footballers. Through watching his Dad, Simon knows how hard he has to work to be successful: “Yeah I think I think it does give me a bit of a gauge for how hard I have to work. My dad obviously was a good footballer with Dublin and stuff, and played sport at the highest level and he knows how much work is required to get to where I need to get to, to where your goals are. He helps me out with my physical aspect of the game and it’s a great help to have him in my corner.”

To be a success on the ATP tour requires total commitment, so I asked him if he has that commitment: “Yeah for sure come I’ve the commitment to make it on the ATP Tour. I’m looking to push forward now this year into the Challenger circuit and hopefully play some ATP events as well, which would be a goal of mine. Yeah, it requires a lot of commitment and I’m ready for that aspect.”

The 20-year-old has been a member of Ireland’s Davis Cup team, a competition he relishes, since he was 18. He’s looking forward to linking up with his teammates again in 2020: “Davis Cup this year was incredible. I really enjoyed the format, really enjoyed the team event. Having a group of guys that I know and like, and spend a lot of time with was a really good experience to be able to play for them, and to be able to win for them. 

“I obviously played well there this year, which we ended up getting promoted in. Looking forward now to 2020 when we’re in Group 3 and hopefully we can get another promotion for the country which would be great.”

Pictured at the Davis Cup

So, what’s life like on the ITF Tour: “It’s quite difficult to be honest. These tournaments aren’t played in the nicest of places, there’s a lot of travelling involved. There’s a lot of players that are stuck there and who can’t really get out of there. It’s tough, because the level is quite high and there’s so many different players and tournaments that aren’t easy to win. It’s a lot more cut-throat down there, it’s kind of kind of dog-eat-dog. Yes, the ITF Tour is the probably one of the hardest levels of the game to get out of, if you like.

“My coaches and my dad sometimes travel with me some weeks, but a lot of time is spent on my own traveling, which isn’t easy. There’s a lot of airports, hotels and taxis and stuff on your own, which isn’t the easiest thing in the world but I’ve kind of got a little bit used to it now, which has made my life a little bit easier. With regards to travelling, with other players and teaming up with other players for doubles and stuff like that, it makes it a lot easier. No, it’s tough being on your own, travelling and stuff like that.

“I get a little bit of sponsorship from different people that help me out with my travel and stuff, which I’m really appreciative of. I’ve a few people backing me, who believe in me, and who are part of my journey so I’m very thankful for that.”

As we head into the new season what does your schedule look like: “My schedule for 2020 looks like I’m going to do a pre-season at the start of January and maybe back into tournaments at the end of January, start of February. Hopefully I can make a bit of a breakthrough. I’ll start out with Futures, hopefully make a breakthrough in those, and be playing the Challenger events by the summer. 

“I’d love to get my ranking high enough where I can start playing Grand Slams. That definitely is a goal for next year, to get up to the qualifying of Grand Slams by the end of next year, if not the year after. Really make a breakthrough there and try to get into the world’s elite.”

Life as a tennis pro isn’t easy but with the right attitude, along with total commitment and a little bit of luck, you just never know what can be achieved.

Pictures: Simon Carr (Instagram)