TENNIS IRELAND will apply to the International Tennis Federation for wild-card entries into the Atlanta Olympics on behalf of four of its world-ranked players.

With the qualifying system scrapped this year, entry to the Games by wild card may be the only option open to Scott Barron, Gina Niland and Karen Nugent. But Owen Casey's doubles ranking of 256 - and climbing - in the -Schweppes $25,000 challenger in Malta this week is significant and will be put into perspective when the computer print-outs of the ATP and WTA tours on April 29th determine the players and pairings eligible for possible places. Casey and Eoin Collins competed in Barcelona.

Barron has a doubles ranking of 424, while Niland, Ireland's top woman player, has a singles ranking of 610 against Nugent's 646. Nugent is 241st in the doubles rankings.

National associations have until May 31st to advise the ITF regarding wild-card entries. A total of 48 players will gain direct entry to the singles events, to be joined by 16 wild cards. Twenty four pairs will gain direct acceptance in the doubles.

The tennis will be held within a 3,200-acre facility at Stone Mountain Park.

The $20 million tennis complex was completed in February and the surface is Plexipave. Sixty four nations hope to be sending competitors to the men's singles (holder, Marc Rosset, Switzerland) and total of 60 nations are expected to contest the women's singles (holder, Jennifer Capriati, USA)

Play starts on Tuesday July 23rd with the finals on August 2nd and

3rd.