Senior National Squad 2008/09

Tristan Farron-Mahon

(b. 26/05/1987)

Club: N/A

Squad Member Since: 2008

ATP Career High Ranking: 1186 (19/01/1987)

Based at various tennis centres in the United States, France and Italy during his teens, Tristan has been one of Ireland’s most succesful Junior players over the past decade and boasted an U18 World Ranking as high as 42 during 2005.  He has also competed at all four Junior Grad Slams in his time on the Junior tour. A regular on the Men’s circuit since 05 Tristan has recently found success in the doubles events appearing in two ITF Futures finals in 2008 in Greece and Finland respectively.

The Dubliner became one of Ireland’s youngest Davis Cup stars in 2006 at the age of 18, partnering Kevin Sorensen in a doubles rubber against Finland in Helsinki.

Barry King

(b. 22/01/1985)

Club: Fitzwilliam LTC

Squad Member Since: 2008

ATP Career High Ranking: 1200 (08/12/2008)

Barry has recently made the switch back to Ireland from the Notre Dame Tennis Team where he became an integral part of the University’s on-court successes from 2003 onwards. The 6’4" Dubliner had been playing in Futures events in Ireland since 2007 but decided to go full-time on the tennis circuit mid-way through 2008 after some good results nationally. Since then Barry has enjoyed some good results already reaching the Quarter-Finals of an ITF Futures event in Libreville, Gabon in late 2008. The big-serving right hander began 09 in good form reaching the Semi-Finals of a very strong RSA National Indoors draw at the start of the year and will be pushing hard for a debut Davis Cup appearance over the coming months.

Lazare Kukhalashvili

(b. 05/02/1991)

Club: N/A

Squad Member Since: 2008

ATP Career High Ranking: 919 (24/11/2008)

Lazare Kukhalashvili has been living in Ireland and training with the National Squad since early 2008. Originally from Tblisi in Georgia, Lazare arrived with a fine tennis record at Junior world level. Previously ranked as high as 36 at Junior World Level and has been a finalist at the Les Petits As event during 2005 widely considered to be the premier interantional tournament at U14 level. He is now concentrating on improving his ATP and has been playing professional senior tennis since 2007. Since joining the Squad Lazares World Ranking has risen by over 300 positions and he will be working hard on improving this even further.

John McGahon

(b. 20/03/1982)

Club: Dundalk LTC

Squad Member Since: 2008

ATP Career High Ranking: 891 (07/04/2008)

Dundalk’s John McGahon is an experienced campaigner on the pro tennis circuit since 2004, and has travelled all over the world in search of ATP ranking points. His best results have come in Africa where he reached the Semi-Finals of the Younde Futures event in Cameroon 2007, as well as five ITF Quarter-Finals appearances in Rwanda, Sudan, Nigeria and India respectively. The right-hander has also featured in Ireland’s Davis Cup side in the past few years featuring heavily in 2007 where he played six rubbers in Ireland’s successful push for promotion that year contributing four wins during the campaign.

James McGee

(b. 10.06/1987)

Club: Castleknock LTC

Squad Member Since: 2008

ATP Career High Ranking: 576 (05/01/2009)

James McGee is one of Ireland’s brightest young tennis stars having picked up the National Indoors Senior Men’s title two years running in 2007 and 2008. The Castleknock right-hander has seen his ATP ranking rise considerably over the second half of 2008, when James decided to play full-time on the professional tennis circuit, jumping by an incredible 500 places in those six months. His most notable international performances being in Rethymno, Greece where he appeared in his first Futures Final and two Semi-Finals appearances in Piombino, Italy and Opava, Czech Republic.  

Dara McLoughlin

(b. 05/06/1986)

Club: Clontarf LTC

Squad Member Since: 2008

ATP Career High Ranking: N/A

Dara McLoughlin has recently returned to the National Squad at Dublin City University after a successful stint in the United States with the Hoosiers tennis team at Indiana University. The North Dubliner spent three years in the Mid-West racking up a total of 46 wins in his final season in the States.

Conor Niland

(b. 19/09/1981)

Club: Limerick Lawn TC

Squad Member Since: 2008

ATP Career High Ranking: 229 (11/08/2008)

Conor Niland is one of Ireland’s most experienced Senior players currently playing on the professional tour. Cutting his senior tennis teeth at an ITF Futures in 03  Conor has been playing full-time on the Men’s circuit since graduating from the University of California, Berkeley in 2006. Since then Conor has tasted several tour titles during his career, winning his first crown in 05 at a Satellite event in Switzerland. Over the past four years gone on to win a further five tour events including an ITF Futures crown at his hometown club, Limerick Lawn in 2008. 

Conor has also been a fine servant to the Irish Davis Cup team down through the years, winning his first cap at this level in 2000 and has since appeared in over twenty rubbers for Ireland.

Colin O’Brien

(b. 17/04/1984)

Club: Malahide LTC

Squad Member Since: 2008

ATP Career High Ranking: 709 (01/12/2008)

Colin O’Brien enjoyed a very successful 2008 on the ATP circuit. A Davis Cup debutaunt in 08 the Malahide native making three apperances throughout the season against Morocco and Ukraine, where he lined up as No.2 player in the team. The left hander has begun 2009 in fine fashion already recording a runners-up spot in Salzberg, Austria at an ITF Futures event.