IRELAND'S sole representative at next week's Wimbledon will be 18-year-old Dubliner David Mullins. His acceptance into the junior boys singles means he will be first Irish junior to play in the event since Owen Casey a decade ago.

Mullins, from Shankill, has been helped by the ITF Grand Slam development programme. He played seven tournaments on the South American circuit this year, but his time there was cut short when his taxi from the airport in Caracas was hijacked and he was robbed.

Currently ranked 201 on the ITF world junior list, his qualification for junior Wimbledon is a major achievement, although he is likely to find the going tough in a field which contains nearly all the game's leading underage players.

The draw for the first round will be made towards the end of next week.