Rising stars from all corners come to Limerick

THE RISING stars of world tennis converge on Limerick Lawn Tennis Club this weekend.

Winner of the inaugural Men’s Futures event last year, Frederick Nielsen of Norway, is back to defend his title. But he faces top-class competition from the latest wizard of Oz, Nathan Healey, who’s been climbing the rankings ladder since 1998.

He heads to Limerick fresh from winning the Challenger tournament in Tasmania earlier in the year and winning through to the Australian Open and the Artois tournament last week.

Local favourite, Conor Niland, will be boosted by enhanced rankings and international experience over the past year. Since losing in the quarter final to the eventual Limerick champion last year, the Irish number one has climbed to 379th in the world listings. His upward movement was driven by a win in the Great Britain Futures 12 category in August 2006. The winning streak continued into this year when he won the Croatia Futures 4 tournament in March and was beaten in the F5 final of the same tournament a week later. His winning ways have also brought him through as a qualifier for the Challenger Tour which guarantees him top tennis in the coming season.

The €15,000 Ulster Bank prize-fund will add an international flavour to the existing €5,000 Kia Motorzone Premier South of Ireland Open which is running in tandem at the oldest lawn tennis club in Ireland or Britain.

Limerick Lawn TC will again be supplying seating for 500 spectators at the Ennis Road club where the recent €1.5 million investment has paid off by attracting the Futures event.

Besides Conor Niland, the spectator gallery will be cheering on Irish players Peter Clarke, John McGahon and Colin O’Brien.

Also, the Club is laying on a “Festival of Tennis” with social and leisure trimmings. Besides night-time entertainment, a trip to Wimbledon and a car will be prizes in a club draw.