The Islander, who secured back-to-back trebles at the NatWest Island Games in Gibraltar, left home shores in search of greatness last autumn and is now based at Enqvist’s IBS Tennis Academy in the south of France.
Parker reached two semi-finals in his first full season on the ITF Futures Tour and begins 2020 with dreams of propelling himself at least 400 places up the ATP ladder before next Christmas. To achieve that, the 22-year-old – ranked at 800 this week – is targeting Futures titles, healthy showings on the ATP Challenger Tour and even the qualifying rounds at Wimbledon.
‘Thomas and the coaches here keep saying it’s going to be a big year and I think it’s going to be big year for me as well,’ said Parker, who travelled to Aix-en-Provence for a trial with Enqvist in September before making the move permanent.
‘It has been really good. The guys I’m training with, their level is really good and obviously that makes me better. I’ve got a personal trainer and a physio and I’m training four or five hours a day. I’m physically better and my tennis has improved as well.
‘Everything’s better here and mentally I’d say I’m way stronger than I was before. They’ve made me believe in myself a bit more, which is good.’
Parker ended 2019 with a retirement through injury in Crete but holds muted hope of bouncing back with force when he opens his 2020
campaign in France. He is set to appear in Veigy Foncenex next week, before journeying to Grenoble for another Futures outing.
‘I’m looking to win my first Futures title this year and also to get into a couple of Challengers,’ he explained. ‘I want to get into the top 400 ATP.
‘I’ll try my best to win the first one but I’m not 100% sure if I’ve got it yet because in my last tournament in Greece I tore my groin, so I’ve been rehabbing.
‘It is tough to win one but after the first one in Veigy Foncenex I’ll definitely be looking to win.’
Parker is now backed by Aberdeen Standard Capital through a deal which he says will make all the difference on and off court.
‘I’m able to travel to all these tournaments this year not having to worry about where money’s coming from and it’s also going to allow me to travel with a coach, which in these tournaments does help,’ Parker added.
‘Instead of me being alone in Greece, for example, I will have someone there to help me.’
