- Friday, August 9, 1985 - North Shore News TOSSING his racquet into professional tennis competition, North Vancouver’s Grant Connell works out in preparation for the Canadian Open tennis tournament. Connell, 19, recently won his first professional tennis competition when he defeated Sean Brawley in the August 5 Unicure Stanley Park Open. The talented lefthander is touted as the North Shore’s first threat-to break into international professional tennis competition. North Vancouver resident latest tennis whiz kid NORTH VANCOUVER’S Grant Connell is set to chase .the financial and social glory of the international profes- sional tennis circuit. | By TIMOTHY RENSHAW | The 19-year-old tennis southpaw unleashed a steady rain of passing-shots to whip Calfornian Scan Brawley 7- §, 6-3 in the August 5 final of the $10,000 Unicure Stanley Park Open. It was the first profes- sional win for Connell, who was' Canada’s junior amateur..champion in 1983. He is now seeded eighth overall in Canada. Connell says his career in tennis began six years ago when the North Shore Winter Club complex in- stalled covered tennis courts. Previous to their installa- tion, Connell, a Winter Club member, -had concentrated on such standard’ Canadian sporting pursuits as hockey. The combination of its new courts and the’Winter Club’s hiring of tennis coach Dave Johnston, who urged Connell! into competitive tennis, in- spired him to climb aboard the upward spiralling tennis cir- cuitry of amateur tournaments and adult tennis matches, says Connell. Connell’s mother Pat, says tennis was just something her son suddenly found himself really enjoying, “with good coaching one Lawyers. General Practice thing led to another. He began winning tournaments and moving up the ladder.”* . Connell adds that though he likes the team aspect of playing hockey, ‘‘tennis is an individual sport with dif- ferent challenges and similar - satisfactions.’’ His August 5 victory, Connell says, is the first step to his qualifying for the Cana- dian Open Tennis tournament being held in Montreal August 10 to 18. Saying he was happy, not surprised, with his recent win, Connell admits he does not know what to expect at the Canadian Open: ‘‘I haven’t had.much experience with professional tourna- ments yet so right now to qualify is the major goal.”’ According to Connell, the August 5 win also helped him overcome the various bogeymen of self-doubt that he faced after an appendix operation six weeks ago and a few subsequent disappoin- ting losses. With his $1,500 in prize money to help quell his new- ly attained professional jit- ters, Connell left Thursday with the three other members of the Molson Ca- nadian Tennis team in a quest to qualify for the Ca- nadian Open. As to the possibility of a career in professional tennis, Connell ponders the challenge for a split second, then says, ‘tough yes, but a definite possibility.”’ KITCHEN & BATHROOM REMODELLING Company arriving for Expo 86? Now's the time to spruce up your kitchen or bathroom. * reasonable rates e reliable tradesman e for a free in-home estimate Call 985-9128 CO-ORDINATED KITCHENS esrasusuen 1978 | N. Vancouver 985-9128 The world is full of oddities. But none so strange perhaps as the case of the lighting store manager who suddenly decided to move a mountain of. merchandise, almost overnight. “It’s time this city saw an all-out lighting sale”. And with that, ordered storewide savings of a kind never before seen! .let these incredible savings Believe it or. . * WALL LIGHTS - CEILING LIGHTS - DINING ROOM FIXTURES * TRACK LIGHTING - FLUORESCENTS - RECESSED LIGHTS - TABLE LAMPS « OUTDOOR FIXTURES - EVERYTHING FOR THE HOME, GARDEN OR COTTAGE. If you’re a doubting Thomas, visit Robinson Lighting soon, : because... + Robinson Lighting / Robinson Waterworks 2285 Cambie St., Vancouver, 879-2494 aad Sm The Carns ttn Red Crass Society