Positive Niland focused for Slam debut

CONOR NILAND is trying to block all thoughts of Roger Federer from his mind as he prepares for his Grand Slam debut on Wimbledon’s grass today.

The Limerick-native faces Frenchman Adrian Mannarino at SW19 on Court 17 (12 noon), with the not insignificant carrot of a second-round tie against the Swiss, most probably on centre-court, should he overcome the player 131 places ahead of him in the world rankings.

And, while Niland is attempting to keep to that age-old sportsman’s mantra of focusing on one game at a time, he does admit playing the six-time Wimbledon champion on what has effectively become Federer’s own backyard is difficult to ignore.

“I’m trying not to think about it [Federer] but it’s at the back of your mind,” he said after finishing his preparations yesterday.

“It’s not as if you need a carrot to win a match at Wimbledon, but it throws up something a little extra in the whole mix. It’s a great opportunity. I’m sure Mannarino is just as excited as I am about the prospect. I’ll just have to compete really well. It’s going be a tough match. He’s very, very good, he’s 50 in the world and that doesn’t happen by accident.”

Niland may never have played at Wimbledon, or indeed any grand slam before, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have some memories of tennis’s most iconic venue.

“I’ve been to watch two men’s finals here before, and my sister Gina played at Junior Wimbledon when I was about eight or nine,” recalled Niland yesterday.

“I can remember messing around at a mini-tennis place down the back of the site, so I think I spent most of my week there. But I only have vague memories of the place to be honest. I don’t really know the layout but every slam is like that, you need a day to get your bearings.”

Yesterday Niland practiced on the Aorangi practice courts for the first time and was happy with how the grass played.

“The grass is slower than it was at Roehampton for the qualifiers, it really checks up,” he said. “It doesn’t skip through the courts, it’s really quite slow for a grass court. The fact they are slow is nice. I’m a ground-stroker so it’s fine by me.”

The slowness of the courts could also be a help against his left-handed opponent. “My record against lefties tends to be pretty good. With the courts being quite slow, his leftie serve won’t be quite as effective, it will check up a little bit, so that will be alright.”