TENNIS: The destination of the top honours in the International Tennis Federation's ranking Under-18 series in Rushbrook, Cork, today lies between Irish, Italian and English prospects, reports Pat Roche.
In the semi-finals, local girl Niamh Coveney caused a major surprise by outgunning Lisa Whybourn, the English number three seed.
Coveney was extremely steady off the ground and produced consistently excellent placement from the back of the court. The first set went to a tiebreak which Coveney won convincingly and she closed the match out 6-3 in the second set.
Coveney now faces another English girl Emily Crack, a winner over Sabrina Stewart, also of England. Crack took the first set 6-1, lost the second 1-6, but came home 6-4 in the final set.
Men's top seed Mark Bowtell, claimed his place in today's final by beating Calum Gee of Scotland 6-3, 6-4. He will play Italian second seed Alessandro Bega, a 6-3, 1-6, 6-4 winner over Welsh boy Ed Jones.
The match lasted for over an hour and a half, with Bega curiously losing concentration in the second set.
Team manager Robert Splaine yesterday announced his team for the European show jumping championships, which get under way in Germany in 12 days' time, reports Grania Willis.
The team that will be jumping at the championships in Mannheim is made up of Marie Burke, Cameron Hanley, Marion Hughes and Jessica Kürten. Cian O'Connor travels as reserve rider. Kürten is the only member of the squad to be listed with two horses. The world number three has been named with Lady Georgina Forbes' two mares, Quibell and Castle Forbes Libertina. Burke has been listed with the home-bred stallion Chippison, which was in winning form at Hickstead last week.
Hanley travels with Hippica Kerman and Hughes has Heritage Transmission.
O'Connor is named with the mare Echo Beach, which had originally been listed for next week's Fáilte Ireland Dublin Horse Show, but will now be re-routed to Mannheim as reserve. O'Connor will bid for Aga Khan team selection with his new horse Complete.
Mannheim is the last chance for Ireland to qualify for the Olympic Games.
Evander Holyfield's extraordinary career took a new twist yesterday when it was announced the former four-time champion is to get another world heavyweight title shot at the age of 44.
Holyfield will face WBO champion Sultan Ibragimov in Moscow on October 13th after Ibragimov's original opponent, WBA champion Ruslan Chagaev, withdrew through injury. Holyfield said: "This is the first step on my quest to become the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world."
