Something similar could be said for all sports and tennis is no exception. In tennis it’s not just about winning matches – it’s also about winning tournaments; a feat which 18 year old Paul Calvert of Lurgan Tennis Club has achieved often this year over what is the traditional tennis season.

Having been a key member of the successful Lurgan mixed “A” team, Paul continued to demonstrate the great potential he had shown as a junior by winning several of the under 18 tournaments.

In the David Lloyd competition at the beginning of July, Paul won the singles, the mixed doubles and in partnership with Stephen Hill of the David Lloyd club, he also won the doubles.

In the CIYMS tournament the following week, he again won the singles and also the doubles, this time in partnership with Karl Donaldson of the David Lloyd club. In the prestigious Belfast Boat Club tournament, Paul reached the quarter finals of the singles and the semi–final of the doubles with Karl. In the Portadown tournament in August Paul and Karl returned to their winning ways by lifting the doubles trophy.

The highlight of Paul’s year saw him being selected for the Ulster Inter-Provincial team. He played second singles and won both his matches against Connacht and Munster. In his final match he teamed up once again with Karl Donaldson in the doubles, but unfortunately lost against Leinster. Overall Ulster was second in the championships.

Paul’s final tournament of the summer was at Windsor where he reached the semi-finals of the singles and the final of the doubles.

All in all this has been a very successful season for a very talented young man who has a quiet, unassuming nature and who displays exemplary behaviour both on and off the tennis court. All at Lurgan Tennis club are delighted with Paul’s achievements and would advise Paul in the words of Mia Hamm, sportswoman, in Go for the Goal, “Celebrate what you’ve accomplished, but raise the bar a little higher each time you succeed.”