20 Jun Sadecky wins Babolat City of Dublin Championships 2009
Switzerland’s Alexander Sadecky took home the spoils at the Babolat City of Dublin Championships, in Brookfield LTC this weekend (Saturday 20th June). However it was the performance by Irish runner-up Barry King that really caught the imagination at the south Dublin venue during the week. The unseeded Dubliner managed to battle his way to his very first ITF Futures final seeing off the Irish No.2 (James McGee) and No. 3 (Louk Sorensen) along the way.
The towering Dubliner went into the final high on confidence and started brightly against the fifth seed, breaking Sadecky’s service game to race into a one set lead 6-4. The Swiss player quickly realised he had to perform far better in the remaining sets in order to record his second Futures title of the season, and Sadecky did just that. Playing some high quality tennis the world no. 583 powered through King’s serve on a number of occasions in the second and third set to take home the Babolat City of Dublin Championships 4-6, 6-2, 6-1.
Despite this finals disappointment for the Irish, the home players enjoyed an excellent tournament throughout with Sadecky being the only non-Irish player left in the semi-finals stage. No. 3 Louk Sorensen suffered another injury setback in the semi-finals while up against Barry King, retiring before the conclusion of the first set. Colin O’Brien, seeded four, cam out on the wrong nd of a mammoth battle against eventual winner Sadecky 6-0, 6-7(4), 7-6(4).
Elsewhere in the draw Irish No.2 James McGee reached the second round before going out to Barry King 7-5, 5-7, 6-4, while Irish based Lazare Kukhalashvili picked up some important ranking points with a 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 win over American Jordan Cox. The three remaining Irish players in the Main Draw all failed to progress beyond the first round, Tristan Farron-Mahon losing out 6-4, 6-2 to Britain’s Kyle Brassington, James Cluskey was knocked out in straight sets 6-4, 6-3 to no.8 seed Martin Emmerich. 17 year-old Wild Card Sam Barry was also presented with a tough first round draw and was also knocked out in straight sets to no.6 seed Sadik Kadir 6-2, 6-0.
The Doubles event at the Babolat City of Dublin Championships also involved Irish interest as the Irish pairing of Eoin Heavey and Fiachra Lennon faced the duo of Charles-Antoine Brezac and Vincent Stouff both of France. As with the singles final it would be the Irish that would record first blood taking the first set 6-2. But once more their continental counterparts fought back to record a 2-6, 6-3 [10-8] victory.
The ITF Futures tour moves to the Men’s Irish Open in Fitzwilliam LTC, Appian Way this week and it is hoped that the Irish can go one better in both doubles and singles finals.
For a full breakdown of the Babolat City of Dublin Championships click here