Clarke omitted from Irish Davis Cup team

IRELAND’S top player Peter Clarke was the big news-maker on the Irish tennis scene yesterday when he was surprisingly left out of the Ireland team to meet Ukraine in the Davis Cup on the weekend of July 16-18.

The team is Kevin Sorensen, Conor Niland, John Doran and David Mullins.

Both Doran and Niland underwent fitness assessments last weekend in Dublin and were pronounced fit to compete in the tie.

Conor Niland returned to tournament action this week at the Danone Irish National Championships at Donnybrook.

The selectors also named a junior, Dara McLoughlin, to travel with the team to Ukraine.

Owen Casey will be the non- playing team captain.

Clarke, the top seed at the Irish national event at Donnybrook, was perhaps not in the best form in last night’s second round tie against Desmond Early and struggled to contain the challenge of Early before winning 7-5 7-6.

Also through was Conor Niland, who beat Andrew Hamilton 6-1 6-2.

There were good wins in the women’s singles for top seed Yvonne Doyle and Cork’s Elsa O’Riain. Also through are Emma Murphy and Karen Nugent.