Owen Casey made light of his absence from the full-time tournament scene by capturing the ITF Futures Series singles title at Mount Pleasant, Dublin, yesterday.
Over the last 12 years, Casey has produced numerous truly outstanding performances but yesterday's 6-3, 7-6 (7-5) success over Belgian Gilles Elseneer ranks with the best.
"I was very happy with the way I played, and I feel that a key factor was that I mixed up my game, and didn't allow Elseneer to feed off my pace," said a jubilant Casey. "He has a particularly big forehand, but I didn't give him many opportunities to use it, as I was giving him a variety of balls, low, high, sliced and angled. Even when I went 5-3 down in the tie-break, I still felt very positive as I felt that I would win if it went to three sets".
Casey seized the initiative in the first set when he broke Elseneer's serve for a 3-1 lead, and he saved two break points in the next game to go 4-1 up before taking the set.
In the second set the players exchanged two breaks apiece, with Casey preventing the Belgian from taking the second set by breaking back for a 4-5. In the tie-break, the Irishman stormed back from a 5-3 deficit to capture the next four points in succession .
