Niland and Sam Barry join forces

LIMERICK tennis duo Conor Niland and Sam Barry have joined forces as they complete their preparations for the qualifying rounds of the Australian Open.
Later this week the local duo will attempt to win their way into the main draw of the first Grand Slam events of the new season.
For the last number of days Niland and Barry have practiced together in Melbourne.
Niland could be in action tomorrow as the senior qualifying rounds commences, but Barry’s efforts to qualify for the under-18 event won’t commence until next week.
One of the biggest obstacles facing the Limerick pair are the current temperatures of over 30 degrees celsius.
“After my match on the Monday Sam and I practiced together for a few days and then flew down to Melbourne together on the Friday where we’ve also had a few hitting sessions,” explained Niland.
Niland will be joined by Davis Cup team-mate Louk Sorensen in the senior event while Sam Barry will have fellow teenager John Morrissey for company in the under-18 event as Irish tennis enjoys its biggest representation for many years.
Niland and Sorensen clinched their places in the preliminary stages by achieving their ambition of finishing the tournament year of 2009 in the top 300 of the ATP singles world rankings. Niland is ranked 288 while Sorensen is ranked 294.
However the ultimate goal is to reach the main draw of the Australian Open.
Niland brings good recent form to Melbourne.
In his only competitive outing of 2010 he went tantalisingly close to qualifying in the $1,024,000 Exxon Open in Doha, Qatar. After overwhelming Spain’s Albert Ramos-Vinolas in the second round of the qualifying series the 288-ranked Limerick man suffered a heartbreaking 1-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7/4) defeat by Belgium’s Steve Darcis.
Niland will break from the ATP Tour in late February when he will return home to lead the Irish team in Davis Cup action against Turkey in Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis Club from March 5–7.

Jerome O’Connell