Ahl all over court

The career of Lucie Ahl, the 24year-old Briton, reached a high point at Dublin's Riverview on Saturday when she recovered from an ominous position to win her first $25,000 event, the Rover-sponsored Irish Women's Open Championship.

The sprightly Ahl who covers the court with great gusto beat 20-year-old Hungarian, Petra Mandulla, who possesses a more imposing record in the game although ranked 40 places below the English woman.

Mandulla looked odds on for a facile win when leading 5-1 in the first set but she was subsequently ambushed by a tigerish display from the British number seven. Mandulla was happy to survive to a first set tie-break.

The tie-break was the real highlight. It went to the 24th point before Ahl took the set 13-11.

Ahl said that she was not allowed play to her best potential because of Mandulla's power. Mandulla put her defeat, 7-6, 6-3, down to mental fatigue. "I came here direct from winning a $25,000 event in Germany and continuous play seemed to catch up on me. I was mentally weak."

Mandulla's excuse made Ahl's win look even more meritorious as she was winning her 10th successive competitive match, having won a satellite event in England the previous week.

When Mandulla went a break up for 2-0 in the second set it looked as though the match could stretch out to a final set. Ahl's willingness to run for ever, chase down and turn retrievals into winners even though her serve, like Mandulla's was not in groove, were the deciding factors.

"It is my first $25,000 event win after four semi-final defeats from Australia to America. It is a big step up for me from the satellites."

The doubles fell through when Australian Lisa McShea had to cry off with a damaged ankle.