Irish sights set on promotion

TENNIS DAVIS CUP:THE CLAY courts at the National Tennis Centre at DCU were given significant use over the past few weeks as part of Ireland's preparation for Davis Cup this weekend in Algeria. The Irish team, who play the first round today at the 2,000-seat Complex Olympique Mohamed Boudaif in Algiers, are optimistically looking for promotion from their Euro/African Zone Group Two division, having earned promotion last year from Group Three.

Several players in the four-man team of Conor Niland, Louk Sorensen, Colin O’Brien and James McGee, have also been playing in ATP tounaments in Morocco and Spain as part of their run in against an experienced home team but one they have every chance of beating.

The Algerian number one Lamine Ouahab, currently ranked at 165, will be absent from the home line-up and only Eddy Chala is ranked on the ATP circuit at 1,266.

Ireland compare very favourably in that respect with the seasoned Irish number one Niland holding a 279 ranking and Sorensen just over the 300 mark.

Niland has been Ireland’s regular for the past six years and comes into the meeting with 20 Davis Cup matches under his belt. It is also a welcome boost for team captain Seán Sorensen to have his son Louk back playing, having suffered injury last season.

Colin O’Brien and James Magee are the less experienced half of the side with Magee coming in for the first time since returning from North Carolina State last year to concentrate on the professional tour. He is currently ranked at 573, while O’Brien, who made appearances last year against Ukraine and Morocco, has an ATP mark of 645.

French born Chala is 24-years-old but the remaining Algerians are all on the wrong side of 30-years-old. Slimane Saoudi is 33, Quassel Hared 35 and Abdel-Hak Hameurlaine 36.

It is the first time for some years that Ireland has not come into conflict with either injury or the American Collegiate program and they go into the match with a decent record against North African opposition. The most recent outings, against Morocco in Fitzwilliam and against Egypt in Ciaro, ended in victories for Ireland. Matches take place today, Saturday and Sunday and are played over five sets.