Playing at junior Wimbledon this summer has been about the only pleasing aspect of the tennis season for David Mullins. A forgettable year for the Dubliner culminated with his enforced retiral, due to a back complaint, from the Irish Open under-18 tennis final at Fitzwilliam on Saturday. Nick Malone, the top seed duly retained the title after only 11 minutes of play, or three games all won by Malone for the loss of three points.

"I am very disappointed. I thought when I got going earlier in the week that everything would be OK but a long three-set semi-final aggravated the problem," said Mullins.

Mullins was also on the losing end to Malone in last year's final and since then has been mugged abroad seeking tour points. His problem is a dislocated vertebra. "I can only hope I will be able to get back for the interpros. in Nottingham in three weeks," said the talented teenager who sets out on a US scholarship in California shortly. The corresponding girls' final saw Dearbhla Kelly in sparkling form, so much so that she required only 39 minutes to despatch the challenge of Jenny Timoney, 6-2, 6-1.

Stephen Nugent reversed the result of the recent East of Ireland final by beating Conor Niland, the top seed in a cracking intermediate final. An 18-point third game in the second set in which Nugent broke for 2-1, having won the first, was a highlight but Niland fought back to lead 5-2 only to lose out on the subsequent tie-break.

Barry King scored a notable win over top seed, Paul Brickley in the minor boys' final.