Barry loses in Azores final but set to climb rankings

Tennis: Limerick’s Sam Barry is set to improve approximately 12 places in the singles world rankings after a run to the final of the ITF Men’s Futures event in the Azores.

Now at 313 in the world list, the Irish No 3 picked up 10 ranking points for his efforts, and he will move up to around 301 in the wake of the ATP ladder being updated later today.

After a 6-3 6-4 victory over Spain’s Javier Pulgar-Garcia in Saturday’s semi-finals of the outdoor hardcourt event in the island’s capital, Ponta Delgada, Barry yesterday came up short on a 6-4 6-3 margin against Portugal’s Frederico Ferreira-Silva

Breaks by No 3 seed Ferreira-Silva in the first and ninth games, as against a break by No 2 seed Barry in the fourth game, helped the 19-year-old left-hander take the opening set.

In the second set, the home Davis Cup player made his crucial move in the third game, and after holding to love for a 5-3 lead, the Portuguese No 4 clinched victory on his first match point.