Liam is ready to show Belfast he’s the real deal

Strathgryffe youngster leads Scotland’s Four Nations bid

Strathgryffe Tennis Club starlet Liam O’Brien will represent Scotland at the upcoming Four Nations’ Junior Championships.

The 11-year-old has been tipped as one of Scotland’s up and coming stars as he looks to follow in the footsteps of his idol Andy Murray.

Tennis Scotland has announced the team to represent Scotland at the upcoming Four Nations’ Junior Championships which will be hosted by Tennis Ireland at the CIYMS Tennis Club in Belfast from September 6 to 8.

O’Brien, who is currently ranked as Scotland’s number one under-12 boys tennis player, will play in the 12 and under age group.

He has dominated in the preceding age categories in Scotland since he was nine.

His call-up follows another successful year which has seen the youngster compete at the top level in his age category and regularly winning Scottish National tournaments.

He is among a very small group of players in the UK who qualify for acceptance into GB tournaments which sees him travelling all over the country several times a year to compete with the best in the UK.

He is also a member of the West of Scotland county team and trains there every week along with his core coaching at Strathgryffe Tennis and Squash club, in Houston, coached by head coach Derek Brown.

Three Scotland sides will travel to the competition in Belfast, representing the country at under-18, under-14 and under-12 level.

Scotland won the 14 and under age group when the competition was played in Glasgow in 2017, but finished in overall second place behind England and ahead of the Irish and Welsh teams, who shared third position.

Colin Fleming, national coach, said: “The Four Nations’ Championships is a great competition and a unique opportunity for some of our players to represent Scotland.

“England re-joining the Championships last year took the competition to a new level and it looks like it will go from strength to strength in the coming years.

“As always picking the Scottish Team was a difficult process, with so many players in the frame for selection.

“We look forward to travelling to Belfast with a strong team in a bid to bring the championship back to Scotland.”