By Stephen Higgins | Friday 31st July
Ireland’s Conor Gannon is through to his first DLR Irish Open semi-final after an impressive 7-6 6-1 victory over the third seed, Matt Ponchet.
After edging a tight opening set, the Dubliner settled into a fine groove in the second, showcasing his all-court game before an enthusiastic crowd.
Gannon broke immediately in the second set, held serve, and then raced away with proceedings as the Frenchman struggled to stay with him. At 5-1*, the Irishman forged two match points and took the contest after an unsuccessful underarm serve from Ponchet.
In the last four, Gannon will take on the second seed and his doubles partner for the week, Daniel De Jonge. The Dutchman defeated qualifier Roan Jones 6-4 6-3 and is yet to drop a set in the event.
In the other half of the men’s draw, top seed Robin Catry (below) lost the opener against compatriot Lucas Marionneau before recovering to take it 5-7 6-3 7-6. Catry is into his second ITF semi-final of the season after winning the Lannion M15 in February.
Catry will now face the seventh seed, Markus Molder. The resilient Estonian was too solid for Ireland’s Michael Agwi in their quarter-final and took it 6-1 6-4. Molder is chasing a second ITF title in 2026 after lifting the Hurghada M15 in May.
In the DLR Irish Open W50, no.1 seed Vendula Valdmannova (below) endured another battle as she outlasted last year’s runner-up, Victoria Allen, 4-6 7-6 6-4. It was a good spectacle on court 7 with the Czech’s class, particularly off the backhand, crucial at the end.
The 18-year-old is set to play Valentina Ryser for a place in the final. The fourth seed from Switzerland was a comfortable 6-1 6-2 victor over French qualifier Chloe Noel.
In the other half, tour veteran Viktoria Hruncakova recorded a solid 6-3 6-3 win over 2025 semi-finalist Esther Adeshina. The Slovak – once ranked no.43 in the WTA rankings – is in a rich vein of form after clinching the Don Benito W35 earlier this month.
Hruncakova will play Great Britain’s Amelia Rajecki (above) in the last four after she beat Britt Du Pree 4-6 6-2 6-4. The 24-year-old, who sits just outside the WTA’s top 500, has come alive in Carrickmines with two consecutive wins over seeded players.
Finally, there was some late joy for the home faithful as Agwi and Gannon battled each other in the semi-finals of the doubles. After a series of enjoyable points, Agwi and Felix Mischker (above) eventually clinched it 7-6 6-4 over Gannon and Daniel De Jonge.
The men’s doubles final will feature an Irishman on each side of the net, with Michael Wright partnering Pablo Perez Ramos against Agwi and Mischker.
Order of Play | Saturday 1st August 2026
Centre Court
From 10.30am
Women’s semi-final | Viktoria Hruncakova (3) v Amelia Rajecki
Men’s semi-final | Conor Gannon v Daniel De Jonge (2)
Women’s doubles final | Dudeney/Pawlikowska (1) v McDonald/Rajecki (2)
Men’s doubles final | Perez Ramos/Wright (3) v Agwi/Mischker
Court 7
From 10.30am
Men’s semi-final | Robin Catry (1) v Markus Molder (7)
Women’s semi-final | Vendula Valdmannova (1) v Valentina Ryser (4)
Remember that you can follow all the 2026 DLR Open action at the ITF’s W50 and M15 sites.
Photos by Sport Narrative & Crosscourt View
