Niland's form a cause for optimism

TENNIS WITH CONOR Niland's 162 world ranking the highest it has ever been, Ireland meet Lithuania today in Fitzwilliam with credible hopes of advancing to the next round of the Davis Cup and ultimate promotion to Group One of the Europe\African division. If Ireland win, they meet either Bulgaria or Slovenia away in the next round, with a win there securing promotion.

Niland, though, will have to wait until James McGee opens Ireland’s account in the first singles match this afternoon against Ricardis Berankis, the 20-year-old, who was ranked the number one junior player in the world in 2007 when he won the US Open.

Earlier this year in San Jose, Berankis became the first player from Lithuania to reach the quarter-final stage of an ATP World Tour event before losing to Spain’s Fernando Verdasco.

Ranked 132 in the world, he qualified for this year’s Wimbledon before falling to Feliciano Lopez in four sets in the second round.

McGee, who comes into the number-two position because Louk Sorensen is injured, is ranked 508 and will have to raise his level significantly if Ireland are to start with a win on the indoor court.

On paper, it looks one-sided but Niland, who played one of his best Davis Cup matches to beat the higher ranked Turkish player Marcel Ilhan in the first round in March, believes McGee has the game to cause an upset:

“James has had solid results in the Futures. He is aggressive off the ground and he has a big game, so he can upset players who have a higher ranking than he has,” said Niland.

Niland hopes to get his world ranking down to about 120, which is around the magical number that gains automatic entry into Grand Slams. With 128 in a Grand Slam field, a higher rank would save the Irishman having to go through three rounds of qualifying for each of the majors.

Tonight he plays Laurynas Grigelis and again this is no straight-forward match. Although Grigelis is ranked 429 in the world, he is just 18 and at the beginning of his career. Niland carries the confidence of a good season to date. His second career ATP title arrived at the Israel Open in May when he beat top-100 players. He also defeated Grigelis last October.

“This guy Grigelis, their number two, is definitely going to be tough,” said the Irish number one. “He is a very talented player and he’s dangerous. I played against him last October and beat him 6-4 in the third (set) at a Futures tournament in France. He has a great backhand and tries to dictate points with that . . . I’m expecting a tough match.”

Lithuania come to Dublin with the scalp of Britain from the last round, after what was for the latter, a humiliating loss, even though world number four Andy Murray was not playing.

Ireland are the seeded team but that decision was made on the assumption Sorensen, who made the second round of the Australian Open this year, would be playing.

Tomorrow James Cluskey and Barry King team up for the doubles before the reverse singles on Sunday, where the number one players, Niland and Berankis, face each other in the first match of the day at 2pm.

SCHEDULE– Today (4pm start): Singles – J McGee (Ire) v R Berankis (Ltu); C Niland (Ire) v L Grigelis (Ltu). Saturday (3pm start): Doubles – J Cluskey and B King (Ire) v L Grigelis and D Sakinis (Ltu). Sunday (2pm start): Singles – C Niland (Ire) v R Berankis (Ltu); J McGee (Ire) v L Grigelis (Ltu)