John Doran enriched the Irish challenge and put his more mature game on display when causing a big upset on the opening day of the ITF's Futures event, sponsored by Tretorn, at Riverview yesterday. An unseeded but defiant Doran, who is a final-year student in economics at Harvard University, surprised second seeded Italian Igor Gaudi 6-4 6-7 6-2 in a two-hour match.

"Had it been last year I would have blown it," said Doran when recalling how he let four break points slip in the fourth game of the final set. Instead of letting the head down, the tall Dubliner galvanised his effort to take the set for the match, dropping only two points on his four service games in that final session.

"I feel that I am more mature now as a player," said the Irish Davis Cup player who celebrated his 21st birthday last month. " I finished my exams last Friday and I am on a high. My tennis has been good too. I won 32 of my 40 matches for Harvard and I suppose my best win was over Mark Parsons, ranked in the top 20 on the US college scene."

Doran's rapier-like serve was in the groove and there were plenty of aces and service winners to prove it. His stunning cross-court drives out of the backhand court often left the Italian shaking his head in disbelief.

Another Irish performance of real substance was that by Nicky Malone even though the Greystones player, on scholarship in the US, did not quite make it against a resilient Australian in Jay Gooding. The triple tie-break match lasted over three hours but Malone, a solid hitter off the ground, got three match point chances to finish it a lot earlier in the second set.

In addition to Doran, other Irish participants to move on were Robert Collins, Owen Casey and big hitter Sean Cooper. As well as Malone, Irish players to go out were Dave Mullins, Conor Niland, Stephen Nugent and Stephen Taylor.

Top seed Daniele Bracciali of Italy, a third rounder at Wimbledon last year, looked vulnerable in the first set against Frenchman Anthony Laporte before advancing 7-5 6-3.