TENNIS DAVIS CUP:IRELAND LOST their Davis Cup match yesterday in Riverview against Luxembourg. Earlier in the day Britain won their first-round match against Tunisia in the Bolton Arena in England.
To Irish tennis fans that set of results means the world number five, Andy Murray and occasional practice partner of Ireland number one, Conor Niland, will not be coming to Dublin for the second round match in July, a week after Wimbledon.
Ireland, who fell out of the promotional match after the 131- ranked Niland lost in three sets 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 to the 91-ranked Gilles Muller, now face a relegation battle with the North African nation, probably on clay, probably in 35 to 40 degrees heat and in a country that is currently in some state turmoil following the recent ‘Jasmine Revolution’.
The venue may come under threat depending on the political climate but the International Tennis Federation recently confirmed that the women’s equivalent, the Federation Cup, scheduled for Cairo in May would be going ahead as planned and the Irish team will be travelling.
In yesterday’s match Niland’s first serve didn’t operate the way it had been at the end of last season and combined with Muller’s strong left-handed service game and his confident back court play, it was a straightforward win for Luxembourg.
Niland opened the match smartly and raced to a 4-1 lead in the first set but Muller quickly steadied on the specially laid surface and rattled off the next five games for the set.
Niland struggled to keep the percentage of first serves high, while Muller did so comfortably. Just one break in the ninth game of the second set, where no Irish first serves were landed, made for a commanding two-set lead.
“I had belief that I could beat him,” said Niland. “His serving was excellent, I’d say it was around 75 per cent.
“If serving is that high a percentage, it is always going to be hard to beat. He backed up his serve well and his back hand didn’t really break down, so I didn’t win as many points from the baseline as I thought I might.”
The third set was probably more controlled by Muller. He jumped on Ireland’s first service game and broke immediately for 0-1. From then it was whether Niland could break back and hold. But he really didn’t get a glimpse, Muller thundering down an unreturnable serve at 5-4 for the final ball and a 3-0 win.
“I played my best match of the weekend,” said Muller. I started very bad and I was down 4-1 but he gave me a few easy points.”
The result leaves Ireland needing to beat Tunisia, who lost 3-1 to Britain without Murray in the team. Defeat would mean that the Irish team falls further down the tiered competition from their current Europe/African Zone Group II into Group III.
Ireland had gone into yesterday’s pivotal singles match having lost the tight doubles on Saturday, James McGee and Cluskey losing in straight sets 7-6 (4), 7-6 (4), 6-4. It left Luxembourg needing one singles win from two matches.
Singles:G Muller (Lux) beat C Niland (Ire) 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. J McGee beat M Vermeer 6-1, 6-2. Doubles:L Bram and G Muller (Lux) beat J McGee and J McCluskey (Ire) 7-6 (4), 7-6 (4), 6-4.
