Faces off the field gives a deeper look into the thoughts and lives of high school student-athletes in the Austin area. Today we feature Lake Travis senior tennis player Rourke O’Shannessy, whose dream is to play on Centre Court at Wimbledon.
All about Rourke: Destination Wimbledon
Tell something about you that most people don’t know.
I am the only person outside of an official groundsman to put up the net on Centre Court at Wimbledon to begin play, and also to take it down at the end of the tournament. I put it up in 2023, and I took it down at the completion of play this year.
What was the best part of your summer?
I traveled to San Diego with my family for a weeklong vacation that also included tennis training at the Rancho Valencia Country Club on clay and hard courts. We had a great time swimming at the beach and playing lots of tennis. We also went to the horse races at Del Mar. It was a wonderful ending to the summer before going back to school.
If a caveman lived in modern times, what would he be most fascinated by?
A caveman would most be taken aback by smartphones because of the ability to call anyone anywhere in the world and get an immediate response. Communicating over large distances was not something they could dream of. Now everyone can do it. Imagine telling a caveman you could do a video call and talk with someone on the other side of the world also while watching them on video chat. It would blow their mind.
What is your favorite food?
My favorite food is Japanese food, in particular sushi. The best restaurant in Bee Cave is Tadashi. We like to go there to celebrate victories.
If you could play on any court in the world, where would you go?
I would like to play on Centre Court at Wimbledon because I have already taken the net down and the next thing on that list is to play on the most prestigious court in the world. It is an incredible feeling standing on Centre Court in the presence of the stadium and the grass, and I think it would be the coolest thing that I would get to do in my life.
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Eating pasta and meat sauce is one of Rourke’s rituals
Why did you start playing tennis?
I started playing tennis after I burned out from playing elite soccer for 10 years. At that same time, my dad took me on an eight-week extended work trip to Italy, where I met some of the top tennis players in the world, such as Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz and Stefanos Tsitsipas. They all asked me why I don’t play tennis, and it sparked something inside me. When I returned from the trip, I started practicing a lot and really fell in love with tennis. I am so glad I made the switch from soccer and have greatly enjoyed improving my game ever since.
Do you have any pre-match rituals?
The night before every match I always have pasta with meat sauce. About 20 minutes before the match, I always like to call my dad or my mom, whoever is not with me, and talk to them about what I’m going to focus on and what needs to get done to win. Last, I like to listen to music up until the time I walk onto court.
What has been your favorite tennis memory at Lake Travis?
It was improving from being on the bottom half of the team roster at the beginning of my junior year to making it to fourth in the region with my doubles partner by the end of my junior year. Moving up on the team ladder has built a lot of confidence in my game.
Dream dinner: Sharing laughs with Kevin Hart
If you could have dinner with any four people in the history of the world, who would they be?
I would like to have it with my granddad on my dad’s side, Kevin Hart, Tom Holland and Roger Federer.
Why did you pick Kevin Hart?
I picked him because I always like to laugh and he is one of my favorite comedians.
Other Austin-area tennis players we’ve interviewed
Westlake’s Luke Riezebeek, Westwood’s Janya Tellabati and Hutto’s Daniel Hosek
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Faces off the field: Lake Travis tennis player Rourke O’Shannessy
