Most parents would show great concern if their child told them they wanted to leave school at 15 in order to concentrate on a career in sport, but when former Dublin manager Tommy Carr was faced with his son wanting to ditch the Leaving Cert to concentrate on tennis, he was all for it.
Simon Carr had just completed his Junior Cert when he decided that tennis was where his heart was, and judging by his father's quotes at the time he had more than enough support to pursue it.
Speaking to The Independent back in 2015 Tommy said:
The option on the table were that Simon continues to go to school and plays tennis on a part-time basis and hopefully he might get picked up and go on a scholarship to the States.
The other option is that you stop the education process, in terms of the formal education, there is a continual education in a holistic way that can also happen and you go straight into the pro ranks.
It's quite an experience to go to some of these tournaments. These kids are on a different zone to the normal routine here.
I don't fully subscribe to the Leaving Cert and college being the only way that we can educate our kids. It's very tunnel-visioned.
To be fair, there does seem to be something in the Carr family blood to warrant faith in Simon's ability. Tommy himself has won 5 Leinster titles and an All-Ireland with the Dublin footballers while his brother Declan hurled for Tipperary and has a couple of All-Irelands himself. We have yet to confirm whether there is any connection to Stephen Carr that may also back up this narrative.
Unreal effort from Ireland's Simon Carr. Down 0-6 0-3, comes back to beat world No.30 Vasil Kirkov for 1st win at a junior Grand Slam #RG17 pic.twitter.com/QEPOMZ2vrm
— Leigh Walsh (@LeighWalsh87) June 4, 2017
But today the tradition of Carr sporting success continued apace at the Boy's French Open, as Simon Carr took on 30th seed Vasil Kirkov from the U.S.
Things didn't start well for the 17-year-old as he lost the first nine games to find himself 6-0 down then 3-0 down before he began to mount what transpired be an astonishing comeback.
Carr ended up taking the 2nd set on a 7-6 scoreline despite being 3-0 down, and then won the 3rd 6-2 to advance to the 2nd round where he will now face 4th seed Hungarian Zsombor Piros.
Piros appeared in the Australian Open Final earlier in the year.
Leaving cert, bedamned.
