McClure eager for ‘top-class’ career

TENNIS: Allan McClure (Wellington School) had a great half-term. He won the Scottish indoor Under-16 Championship at Scotstoun in Glasgow and then spent most of the rest of the week training at Stirling University.

Having also reached the final of the Under-18 Indoor Championship, the Ayrshire 16-year-old has his sights firmly set on a career in tennis.

“I’ve had to cut back a little this winter because I am sitting five Highers,” he said. “But I want to try and get a scholarship to Stirling University and go there this autumn.

“The university’s aim is to get players into the world rankings and Colin Fleming has proved that it is a great programme.”

Allan started paying tennis as a nine-year-old at the Coylton club near Ayr. A couple of years later, he was spotted at a tournament and offered coaching at the Prestwick Tennis Centre.

“Prestwick is terrific because there are four indoor courts and I also train under coach Chris Gray at Scotstoun,” he continued. “I want to study finance and accounting at Stirling, but I definitely want to try and make it as a top class tennis player.”

Allan wasn’t the only Prestwick success story in the series of Scottish Indoor Championships. Ewan Moore (Loudoun Academy) won the boys’ Under-14 Championship and Nicole Clark (Kyle Academy) was runner-up in the girls’ Under-14.