ONE of Northern Ireland's leading professional tennis players was last night still critically ill in hospital after a savage beating in north Belfast. Mr Gareth Parker (23) suffered severe head injuries in an attack outside the Shaftesbury Inn on the Antrim Road.
Police believe that he was then accidentally struck by a car as he lay injured on the road. It is understood that he was attacked by two or three youths around midnight on Friday.
The RUC has still not established a motive for the heating. A spokesman said: "We don't yet know who carried it out and it is impossible at this stage to say what lay behind the assault.
Detectives have appealed for witnesses to come forward. They particularly want to speak to the driver of a white car which was travelling out of the city on the Ant rim Road.
Mr Parker, who is from north Belfast but lives in Dublin, was home for the weekend before playing in a tournament in France. He turned professional after leaving school and is now ranked in Northern Ireland's top five.
He is in intensive care in the Royal Victoria Hospital. Ms Karen Parker, his sister, said: "His injuries are very bad. The whole family is in a total state of shock. All we can do is pray.
"We have been at his bedside since we heard the news but we still can't take it in. We don't know why anyone would want to hurt Gareth." Mr Parker's father, Greer, is a coach at Cavehill tennis club and his uncle, Mr Burnett Parker, is a member of the Ulster Tennis Council.
The president of the Ulster branch of Tennis Ireland, Mr George Stevenson, said: "Everyone was very shocked to hear the news. Gareth is a very talented young player who is one of our rising stars.
"He is a lively, outgoing chap who is very enthusiastic about his tennis. His game had improved significantly and he is one of our up and coming seniors. Our thoughts are with his family."