McGee rues missed chance

Irish fans were stunned into silence last night as a double fault from James McGee gifted the opening singles rubber to Finland in the Davis Cup second round tie at Castleknock.

Playing at his home club, McGee fired in a double fault on match point to Harri Heliovaara to leave the visiting player a 4-6 6-4 7-6 (7/1) 6-7 (4/7) 6-4 scoreline after a marathon four hours and 38 minutes.

McGee will regret the fact that after taking the first set in 49 minutes, he let the initiative slip after moving 4-2 ahead in the second set. The home fans were left stunned as Heliovaara (23), stormed back to reel off the next five games on the trot, in the process levelling at one set all and holding serve in the opening game of the third set.

It was a telling indication of the huge dip in the level of 276-ranked McGee that he won only four points in the last four games of the second set. The third set went entirely with serve but in the ensuing tie-break, McGee fell 0-5 adrift before Heliovarra came through 7-1.

The 25-year-old Dubliner led 5-2 in the fourth set but Heliovaara hit back to force another tie break. This time the Castleknock man took the tie-break to level the contest at two sets all.

In the fifth set, McGee failed to avail of a break point in the third game before saving three break points in the sixth, and winning only one point on his opponent’s serve in the seventh and ninth games. But in the next game the double fault proved to be straw that broke the camel’s back for the home player as the Finn took the rubber.