Two of the most promising young players in Irish tennis, Conor Niland and Conor Taylor, met at the outset of the National Indoor Open championships, sponsored by Pamela Scott, at Riverview yesterday. The draw is structured so that major contenders enter the fray later on. Niland, having completed a year at Millfield school in England, was the slight favourite and the Limerick player did not disappoint, with a 6-3 6-4 win over his forceful Dublin rival in a very competitive clash.

Belfast's Steven Waters and Robert Cherry won three-set matches at the expense of Paul Quinn and Steven O'Connor respectively. Top seed Owen Casey and Scott Barron are seeded to meet in the final while Gina Niland and Claire Curran are the principals in the women's singles.

Barron impressed in the European nations' team championship in Malta recently, but he has recently had a long lay-off because of injury. Harvard University student John Doran seems the most likely candidate to upset the prospects of a Casey-Barron final. Doran's power serve and his ability to return well can be a real threat, especially under the new experimental rules whereby the point following deuce decides the game.

Yvonnne Doyle and Karen Nugent are the most likely contenders to upset the applecart in the women's draw.