Marama mission

Eden and Paula Marama are the big threats at the Ellesse Irish Women’s Open Tennis Championship at Castleknock, Dublin, this week.

The New Zealand sisters are seeded at the top and are expected to make a big impact, especially Eden, who will be looking to retain the title she won last year.

Some indication of how tough it will be for the Irish - our main hopes rest with Yvonne Doyle and Karen Nugent - was evident in yesterday’s first-round matches when Cork’s Elsa Ó Riain and Dubliner Anne Marie Hogan went down to lowly-ranked opponents from Mexico and the Republic of South Africa, respectively.

Another Irish wild card entry, Joanie Macken, was rebuffed in straight sets by 508-ranked Alice McKenzie of Britain.

Yvonne Doyle, ranked 567 and Karen Nugent (572), Ireland’s only direct entries to the main draw, face British and Swedish qualifiers respectively in today’s action.