A potential ace in the making as 12-year-old rising tennis star from county Down receives £500 bursary to help make improvements to his game

Sam Irwin is the latest beneficiary from the bursary programme, now in its fourth year, which is designed to support young athletes in reaching their full potential.

Sam has achieved impressive results, including being ranked number one in Ireland in the under-12 category. In the last three months he has also secured his first European Tennis title in Cork, a national title in Dublin, Templeogue and the provincial Ulster match play competition. Following another Irish title last weekend in Dublin, he has been selected to represent Ireland in the European Summer Cup, taking place in Czech Republic in July.

His tennis journey began at a very young age, inspired from the pram watching his older brother learning to play at various grassroots coaching squads and at the local park courts with his dad - the same public courts in Bangor where Sam continues to be coached and develop his game.

He said: “My parents tell me that as soon as I could walk, I was itching to get involved and have a racquet in my hand. I can’t remember not playing tennis. It has allowed me to become closer with my family and given me the chance to make new friends outside of school, whether at local, provincial or national training squads or at international tournaments. I’ve spent time with players from different countries and backgrounds which has been a fantastic experience.

“Last year, I lost a couple of tournaments back-to-back that I felt I should have won - which was tough - but it taught me to keep improving, learning and practicing. This bursary is a huge motivation for me as it recognises my effort and achievements in my short career so far and inspires me to keep pushing towards my dream of becoming a professional tennis player.”

Sam explains how the bursary will play a pivotal role in reaching his current goals.

“I plan on using the bursary to add strength and condition training into my weekly programme, which will help prevent injury and also improve my speed, strength, and core stability," he explained.

"Tennis is physically demanding and requires a lot of skill, focus and strategy - which I love. This extra strength and condition will help enhance my performance on the court, which will be useful when it comes to Ireland’s major national tournament - the Fitzwilliam event in August - which I hope to win.”

At just 11 years old, Sam has already shown remarkable dedication and talent in the sport of tennis as Lady Mary Peters explains. She said:

“Our bursary, in partnership with Hughes Insurance, aims to support Sam as he prepares for upcoming competitions and continues his journey towards becoming a professional tennis player. Tennis, in particular, comes with high costs for coaching, equipment, and travel, making this support vital.

“Whilst the bursary offers financial support, it also acknowledges each athlete’s dedication and accomplishments in their respective sports and in Sam’s case, his hard work and commitment to continuing to better himself at such a young age epitomises this. We are proud to continue helping young talents like Sam reach their full potential.”