Conor Niland 'floating' after The Racket named William Hill Sports Book of the Year

"The other shortlisted books are incredible stories so I feel very fortunate to have won and so grateful," said Niland.

GAME. SET. MATCH: Former professional tennis player and Irish number one Conor Niland from Limerick has won the William Hill Sports book of the year for 2024.

Former Irish tennis professional Conor Niland has won the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award 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 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.

Said Niland: “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."