Joy for Niland in Niceville

ALTHOUGH Limerick tennis star Conor Niland had suffered the heartache of losing two ITF Futures tour finals in recent weeks, the Irish number one broke his duck last night in Niceville, Florida with a stunning win.


Four weeks ago Niland lost the final of the F18 Futures event in France to Antony Dupuis (3-6, 6-4, 4-6) and then last week the 28-year-old lost the final of the USA F27 Futures event to Austria’s James Lemke (6-4, 4-6, 5-7) in Birmingham, Alabama.
Conor Niland however exacted revenge over his Austrian counterpart last evening when the Limerick man won in very impressive fashion.
Lemke won the first set 6-3, but Niland gritted his teeth and battled back to win the second 6-4. Then, in the deciding set, Niland was irresistable winning by a stunning six games to love.
Niland was installed as the number one seed for the clay court event.
In the first round he defeated the USA’s Matt Cloer 6-2, 6-3. He then saw off Junior Ore (USA) 6-3, 6-3 before beating Norway’s Erling Tveit 6-3, 6-1 at the quarter-final stage.
The USA’s Denis Kudla blocked Niland’s path in the semi-finals, but Conor made light work of the American winning 6-3, 6-2 to set up a final with James Lemke.
The win represents Conor Niland’s third win on the ITF Futures circuit - the Irish number one also won a Futures title in Limerick and Bournemouth.
Niland’s biggest achievement however occured when the Limerick man won the ITF Challenger Tour event in New Delphi last year.
Conor Niland, who played in the qualifying rounds for Wimbledon, the US Open and the Australian Open in the last two years will be hoping to now build on this encouraging victory.

BRIAN MCDONNELL