Heartbreak for Niland

FOR the second time in just three weeks Irish number one Conor Niland suffered defeat in an ITF Futures event in the United States.
Last night the 28-year-old Limerick man lost the final of the USA F27 Futures to Austria’s James Lemke.
Niland won the first set 6-4, but then lost the next two sets 4-6 and 5-7 in Birmingham, Alabama.
Three weeks previously Niland lost the final of the F18 Futures event in France to Antony Dupuis (3-6 6-4 4-6).
Niland, installed as the number one seed for the tournament in Alabama, won his first round clash with Great Britain’s Tim Bradshaw 6-1 6-2.
In the second round Niland lost the first set (4-6) to the USA’s Denis Kudla before winning the next two sets (6-3 6-3) in impressive fashion.
Norway’s Erling Tveit blocked Niland’s path in the quarter-finals but Niland made light of the Norwegian’s challenge winning 6-4 6-2.

BRIAN MCDONNELL