Ian Flanagan is a Welsh

Wales

Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...

 former professional tennis

Tennis

Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...

 player.

Biography

Flanagan grew up in the village of Graianrhyd

Graianrhyd

Graianrhyd, also spelt Graeanrhyd, is a small, scattered village in the community of Llanarmon-yn-Ial, Denbighshire, Wales, lying in hilly limestone country around to the east of Lanarmon-yn-Ial village, and just to the south of Eryrys....

, and attended Ysgol Brynhyfryd

Ysgol Brynhyfryd

Ysgol Brynhyfryd is a bilingual co-educational comprehensive school in the town of Ruthin in Denbighshire, North Wales. The school serves the community of Ruthin and the many surrounding villages including the rural districts of Corwen, Carrog and Gwyddelwern...

 between 1993 and 1997.

At the age of four, he attended a tennis fun-day with his brother. This sparked an interest that culminated in him, at the age of 15, being the top junior tennis player in the world and Youth Olympics gold medalist in 1996. Unfortunately, a severe bout of glandular fever between 1998 and 2000 threatened to end his promising career. However, despite his illness, and despite being the only senior British tennis player not funded by the LTA (something he is harshly critical of), Flanagan fought back.

In 2004, Flanagan staged a shock upset when he beat Mark Philippoussis

Mark Philippoussis

Mark Anthony Philippoussis is an Australian tennis player. He turned professional in 1994. His father is Greek, while his mother is of Italian ancestry....

 7–6, 7–6, in the opening round of the Stella Artois

Stella Artois

Stella Artois is a 5% ABV lager brewed in Leuven, Belgium since 1926. In the UK, Canada and New Zealand a 4% ABV version is also available.-Production:...

 Championship at Queen's Club

Queen's Club

The Queen's Club is a private sporting club in West Kensington, London, England. Founded in 1886, the Queen's Club was the world's first multipurpose sports complex and named after Queen Victoria, its first patron...

. Despite also beating the world no. 35, Victor Hănescu

Victor Hanescu

Victor Hănescu is a Romanian tennis player. He achieved his career high rank of no. 26 on July 6, 2009.- Professional career :...

, in the second round of the tournament, before succumbing to Sébastien Grosjean

Sébastien Grosjean

Sébastien René Grosjean is a retired tennis player from France. His career-high ATP Entry ranking is No. 4 . He retired from tennis on May 27, 2010.-Career:...

 in the last 16, Flanagan was denied a wildcard into Wimbledon

The Championships, Wimbledon

The Championships, Wimbledon, or simply Wimbledon , is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, considered by many to be the most prestigious. It has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London since 1877. It is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, the other three Majors...

. The victory raised his profile, and put him on a tennis players' special Weakest Link

Weakest Link

The Weakest Link is a British television quiz show, currently broadcast on BBC Two. It was devised by Mr Wilton and Euan Green and Cathy Dunning, and developed for television by the BBC Entertainment Department. It has since been replicated around the world. The UK version is hosted by Anne...

.