TENNIS: There was an amusing exchange of views on tennis past and present between father and son in the referee's office after Kevin Sorensen progressed to the semi-finals of the Danone Irish Open Indoor Championships at David Lloyd's Riverview yesterday.
"For one thing, he hadn't to start with a wooden racquet," quipped Kevin's father, Seán, who was part of Ireland's best era of the modern game.
"He's also taller than me and plays right-handed, with a strong forehand."
Kevin then got a word in: "I saw Dad play, our styles are different," said junior, whose success depends on a firm service and less of the sort of agility around the court on which his father's game was largely based.
The Sorensens now live in Stuttgart, and later Seán had an appointment with his old sparring partner Matt Doyle for a reunion pint. No doubt their combined effort against McEnroe's US team in the Davis Cup of two decades ago was again a topic.
Kevin was still recovering from his three-hour, third-round marathon with Colin O'Brien when negotiating his semi-final spot against Eoin Heavey. Sorensen had three service breaks in seeing off a sprightly challenger.
"I play most of my tennis in Spain," said unseeded Sorensen, who now plays Seán Cooper, the number three seed, today for a place in the final.
Sorensen said he would welcome any opportunity to follow in his father's footsteps and play Davis Cup for Ireland. He may be set for a spring debut.
Meanwhile, Peter Clarke continued to vindicate his top ranking by having another facile win, this time at the expense of Conor Taylor 6-0 6-3.
He takes on Nicky Malone in today's penultimate stage.
An unusually less-than-eager Elsa Ó Riáin, the number two seed, struggled against teenager and number six seed Rachel Dillon before succumbing on a third match point.
Ó Riáin is on a year off from competitive play at Harvard University and her lack of match practice showed, but Dillon is a real prospect.
Top seed Karen Nugent, Clodagh McMorrow and Anne Marie Hogan also went through to contest today's semi-finals.
The line-up is Nugent v McMorrow and Hogan v Dillon.
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