Teen tennis star celebrates string of victories
BARNSTAPLE teen Eric Lorimer is back to the top of Britain’s 14 and under category, after a successful string of victories in three major European tournaments.
In early February Eric, who is aged 13, was one of three boys on Team GB at the European Winter Cup Qualifying round in Pornic, France, followed by that cup’s finals in Niederzier, Germany. In the final championship match on February 17, Team GB came second, narrowly losing in the deciding 10-point doubles tiebreak to the French team.
Immediately after that final Eric went to Paris to compete in the prestigious TIM-Essonne Junior tournament, a venue that featured in the early careers of players like Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer and others who went on to play professionally. Over the course of eight days Eric worked his way up to the singles final, having beaten the tournament’s top seeded favourite in the semi-final. Eric then won the final match against Finland’s top-ranked player Alex Tuomolin, in two sets.
Topping off a gruelling two-week tour Eric travelled straight to Sweden for the Stockholm Super Category 14 and under tournament, entering both the singles and, with his long time tennis partner, Patrick Breen, from Ireland,
the doubles. Eric was knocked out of the singles in the second round but he and Patrick went on to take the doubles championship against a Bulgarian duo, 7-5, 6-0. Eric has since returned to his training base at Bath, where he will train and take a break from tournaments before heading to his next competition in Maia, Portugal, in April.