The only surprise in the Carlsberg County Dublin Open championship tennis finals at Carrickmines on Saturday was the ease with which Owen Casey won the men's title.
Casey's opponent, Tommy Hamilton, the number two seed, would have been expected to win more than three games in a decider that was tantalisingly brief, lasting only 57 minutes.
Casey is playing so consistently at present that he may be regretting his decision last year to retire from the satellite circuit aged 27.
The reliable Davis Cup player has yet to be beaten since retiring and on Saturday he outpaced and outfoxed Hamilton on the fast-playing croquet lawns. Casey's 12-month unbeaten run in domestic competition is all the more meritorious given the amount of young ambitious players currently competing for recognition on the Ireland Davis Cup team. Casey varied his serve to make life difficult on the returns for the overwhelmed Hamilton.
Claire Curran, home on her first summer vacation from the University of California at Berkeley, lifted the women's title with a straight-sets win over the more experienced Lesley O'Halloran. Curran looked comfortable on the grass surface en route to a 6-2, 6-2 win in just over an hour.
Gina Niland and Casey set out in defence of their respective Irish Close Championship titles at Donnybrook this evening. The challenges are Hamilton and Claire Curran, the second seeds in their respective events. Hamilton, a former winner and Us scholarship graduate, has et out on a professional career.
George McGill's form will be interesting to note following his first term in the US collegiate system. He is seeded at three with Harvard student Joe Green at four.
Curran the number two seed in the women's event is under the supervision of Irish team captain Peter Wright at the University of California at Berkeley where he is head coach.
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