Liggan cleared for Ireland

Ireland have succeeded in gaining the services of Spanish-based 21-year-old Kelly Liggan for international competition following a year of on-off negotiations with the Board of Directors of the International Tennis Federation (ITF).

Liggan, whose father is Irish, has been cleared in time to be included in the Ireland team for the women's European Team Championship in Porto, Portugal, at the end of next month (November 27th to 29th).

The ITF had deemed Liggan ineligible to represent Ireland in the Federation Cup in Turkey last spring. Tennis Ireland appealed that decision based on grounds of residence, whereby a player must be a resident of the country for three consecutive years before attaining eligibility.

It was pointed out among other aspects of the case that the player has from time to time lived in Ireland for periods of varying lengths. She is a holder of an Irish passport and pays on the WITA circuits as an Irish player. Her family are considering returning to Ireland to live permanently. Liggan is currently playing in South America and will join the Irish squad next month.

Trials have been in progress for places but all that remains to be decided now is a fourth place, which will go to either Karen Nugent or Yvonne Doyle depending on the outcome of tonight's trial match at Riverview. Already selected are Liggan, Gina Niland, and Claire Curran.

Ireland are grouped with Luxembourg, Malta, Portugal and Slovenia in the European Team Championship. Meanwhile, the Ireland men's team will face either top seeds Denmark or Senegal should they overcome Slovenia at home in Dublin in the Davis Cup Euro African Zone Group 2. Meanwhile, top Irish juniors Stephen Nugent and Elsa O Riain of Cork have attained places of 170 and 180, respectively, from zero starts on the ITF junior world rankings. O Riain continues her tournament play in Luxembourg next month while Nugent will be operating in Malaysia and India.

John McEnroe has suggested he should wear a censorship warning on his forehead to avoid offending tennis officials and fans.

McEnroe, speaking after verbally abusing an umpire and opponent in a seniors event in Sydney last week, said the prominent label may be the answer to ensure he upsets no one in a similar tournament in Melbourne, starting today. The former world number one, who offered no apologies for his behaviour, reckons the label will warn people of his possible use of obscene language.

He added the public would probably hear worse at a rugby or Australian Rules match if microphones were placed in the middle of the ground.

Spain's two French Open champions, Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario and Carlos Moya, will be top seeds at the Hopman Cup in Perth from January 2nd to 9th. Seeded second are the US team of world number one Lindsay Davenport and Jan-Michael Gambill.