Jonny O'Mara To Mentor Scotland's Next Tennis Generation
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Jonny O’Mara, the 2020 Australian Open doubles quarter-finalist, has been appointed as Tennis Scotland’s first Official Ambassador, mentoring the next generation of aspiring tennis stars and sharing his knowledge and experiences of life on the pro tour.
The 26-year-old, who will take part in his fourth Wimbledon this week, will work with Tennis Scotland to provide practical, real-life support to those on a range of national performance programmes including the National Player Programme, with the ultimate aim of helping the players reach their potential.
Inform The Next Generation
He aims to use his own experiences to help inform the next generation of tour hopefuls to deal with the increasing pressures and expectations placed on professional athletes.
As a successful product of the national player performance pathway, Jonny will also provide support to the coaching team and also to Britain’s top young prospects who are studying and playing at the GB National Tennis Academy in Stirling. The trends in the sport, the training regimes, and what standards are required for pro tour tennis are some of the areas that Jonny will be helping to communicate.
His contribution to the Tennis Scotland vlog series, Between The Lines, has been hugely popular, giving fans and players an insight into the daily life of a tour professional on the road.
Jonny O’Mara said: “I’m in a very privileged position to be able to pass on my experiences to the talented crop of Scottish players we have coming up through the ranks. The advice and coaching I received from Tennis Scotland early in my career put me on the path to compete at the highest level and I believe I will be able to add another dimension to the excellent support our youngsters receive.
“Stepping on to the grass at Wimbledon is the pinnacle of most players’ careers, so I hope to pass on the experience I gain whilst competing over the next couple of weeks, and at other tour events around the world throughout the year, for the benefit of our fellow Scots who dream of playing here in the Junior and Senior events.
I Want To Support The Players And Coaches
“I want to support the players and coaches by helping to create an environment that will have a positive impact on the international circuit moving forward and hope I can make a valuable, long-term contribution to support Tennis Scotland and their ambitions for Scottish players.”
Jonny will begin his Wimbledon doubles campaign tomorrow, partnering with Hugo Nys in a first-round clash with Gonzalo Escobar and Ariel Behar with the aim of matching his 2017 appearance by reaching the second round.
Jonny Is The Perfect Fit For An Ambassador Role
Blane Dodds, Tennis Scotland Chief Executive, said: “As Jonny has developed his game for the pro tour he has undoubtedly learnt a lot, both on and off the court therefore Jonny is the perfect fit for an ambassador role and will act as an invaluable component of our performance set up.”
“Unless you’ve been in Jonny’s position, and that of the top players regularly competing at Grand Slams, it’s difficult to fully comprehend the challenges faced as an aspiring professional, so we’re bolstered by his support in delivering a legacy for our young Scottish tennis prospects.”
