IRELAND'S reinstatement to Division Two of the Davis Cup was secured convincingly at the Nairobi Club yesterday with a comprehensive 3-0 triumph over Estonia. The win clinched top honours in the Euro-African Zone Division Three, Group B.
Ireland's unprecedented tournament statistics speak for themselves played six, won six. A closer look shows that Ireland lost only four sets out of 38 played and won 17 of the 18 rubbers contested in the most concentrated week of international competition ever undertaken at this level by the Irish squad.
Team captain deter Wright summed up his immediate feeling as "elated". He added: "Ranking-wise we knew we were one of the best teams here. Our guys played very professionally. Their approach to the entire week was something to be proud of. Even after we clinched it today we played a great doubles match".
Significantly, Ireland's singles victories by Scott Barron and Owen Casey were being achieved in less time as the week moved on. Barron accomplished the team record with a 42 minutes love-and-love win over Allar Hint in yesterday's opening singles against Estonia.
"Scott has hit stride so well that if he had to play a tournament here next week he would win it. It took him a couple of days to adjust to the altitude and court surface. He was so solid that it gave us all a boost to watch him out there in the first match."
Wright, however, felt it was entirely fitting for Casey to be on court in the clinching singles win, 6-1 6-2, over Rene Busch. "Owen has been battling with a sore arm all week. Rene Busch is a good player and Owen played very cleverly. He forced the pattern by coming to the net consistently," said the captain.
John Doran (17) returns to school tomorrow satisfied with his involvement in yesterday's doubles victory along with Scott Barron.
Wright reflected on the mistakes of last year that landed Ireland in the Davis Cup basement division and added: "We played two bad matches last year. They were not particularly difficult matches but we played poorly and have now paid up fully for those lapses. We intend to go from here and really show people how good a team we are. I am confident of this young team's future prospects. We will be making 1996 our promotion year in the European Nations team championship as well".
The doubles proved a three-setter and lasted almost an hour and a half, but Doran and Barron were convincing winners over Andrea Luvgin and Alti Vahkal, 4-6 6-4 6-3.
Barron was due to travel out of London at midnight last night, en route to San Salvador, where he is due to play an ITF tournament tomorrow. Collins returns to the US to resume his duties at a Detroit bank, while Wright goes back to California, where he is head coach at Berkeley.
