02 Jan RSA National Indoor Championships Results
Congratulations to both James McGee and Mariyana Levova, winners of this years RSA National Indoor Championships Senior titles at David Lloyd Riverview, Dublin.
James McGee will delighted to retain his Indoors crown in what was a repeat of last years final against Malahide’s Colin O’Brien. The Castleknock 21 year-old came through the final in two sets this year, although Colin will feel that he had the chance to once again take it to three sets, O’Brien had his chance to serve for the second set at 5-3. McGee fought hard to break serve and bring the match back to 5-5 in the set and to the eventual second set tie-break. McGee’s previous winning experience in this tournament paid off in the tie-break, eventually coming out on top 7-3 to claim his second successive RSA National Indoor Men’s title 6-3, 7-6(3).
There were also a notable performances from another young Irish player who has recently started competing on the professional circuit. Knocklyon native Barry King reached the semi-final before losing out to James McGee but will be delighted to have claimed the scalp of No.4 seed Tristan Farron-Mahon, a player who is placed higher in the ATP world rankings. King won the marathon quarter-final match which went all the way to a third set tie-break by 6-0, 6-7(6), 7-6 (3).
Ladies No.1 seed Mariyana Levova won her first RSA National Indoor title in what proved to be a surprisingly open affair in the Ladies Singles draw. With all other seeds dropping out before the semi-final stage the young Bulgarian was hot favourite to come up trumps in 2008 and the Castleknock LTC player didn’t dissapoint comfortably winning the Ladies final 6-0, 6-1 over Belfast’s Lynsey McCullough. Mariyana will be delighted to have gone one better than last years event where she had to make do as runner-up to Rachael Dillon. In a draw full of upsets, the biggest scalp went to Jenny Claffey who was victorious over the highly fancied Amy Bowtell at the quarter-final stage by 6-3, 3-6, 6-2.
Elsewhere in the Junior events this years Ciaran Fitzgerald cruised to the final of the Under 18 Boy’s event only dropping two games on his way to the final. Alan Gleeson the events runner-up and was far more competitive against Fitzgerald than other competitors before eventaullt being beaten 6-4, 6-2. No. 1 seed Lynsey McCullough took the top-spot against Belfast Boat Club’s Emily Madill in the Girls Under 18 final winning 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 and will go some way to make up for her final defeat in the Ladies singles.
Ross Hurley was the Boys Under 16 Champion for 2008 beating Waterford’s Harry Walshe in three sets 7-6, 4-6, 6-4 while Sinead Lohan comfortably beat no.3 seed Grainne O’Neill 6-1, 6-2 in the U16 Girls Final. The top seeds came out victorious in the both the Boys and Girls U14 events, with both no.1 seeds Robert Dudley and Megan McGreevey being crowned champions. Again it was a clean sweep for the no.1 seeds in the U12 competitions Sam Bothwell representing Downshire Hillsborough TC winning the Boys event and Rushbrooke’s Emily Daly came out champion in the Girls competition.
A full list of results can be found on TI Tournament Software here
More action pictures and presentation shots can be found on the Tennis Ireland gallery page