Davis must-win

DUBLIN’S Owen Casey and his Davis Cup team will try to halt Ireland’s free-fall in Donetsk, Ukraine today.

It’s a must-win for Ireland if they are to avoid the drop to the absolute basement of Davis Cup play.

Defeat would mean relegation from the Euro African group 2 zone to the dungeon arranged for the lowly tennis nations.

“We are not even thinking about the consequences,” said Casey.

It’s a huge task for the Irish team, whose only world rank player and full-timer is Kevin Sorensen. Sorensen is ranked 800th, far short of the Ukraine’s top players.

“I don’t mind rankings in the Davis Cup,” said Casey.

“History has shown that lowly ranked players have repeatedly beaten their so-called superiors. It’s all on the day in this Davis Cup,” Casey added.

Limerick’s Conor Niland opens the challenge against the top Ukrainian Orest Tershchuk, who is ranked 304th in the world.

Sorensen takes on Sergiy Yaroshenko in the second singles.

In tomorrow’s doubles, John Doran and David Mullins will be in action.