The 2025 Irish Open is underway at Carrickmines, and already the tournament is showcasing a fresh generation of talent.
Among the standout moments of the opening days was a brilliant performance from 14-year-old Irish player Leah Puk, who won both her qualifying matches to earn a place in the women’s main draw.
She will now feature on Centre Court at approximately 10:45 am today, Tuesday, July 29, taking on British qualifier Summer Yardley. Her emergence is a testament to the real depth and potential of Irish women’s tennis.
Also taking to Centre Court on Tuesday will be Ireland’s highest-ranked junior, 17-year-old Eoghan Jennings, who faces fellow Irish player Freddie Murray in a home-grown clash scheduled for around 2:00 pm.
The 32-entry Men’s and Women’s qualifying rounds began on Sunday, July 27 and concluded on Monday, July 28, featuring strong Irish representation across the board.
Eleven Irish players competed in the Men’s qualifiers, including 15-year-old Patrick Breen and 16-year-old Zac Naughton, both of whom impressed against international opposition.
Breen came agonisingly close to a breakthrough, holding set point against No. 2 seed Billy Suarez of the USA before narrowly losing in a tiebreak.
The Women’s qualifiers included 13 Irish players, with Leah Puk’s success the headline act.
The main draws for both the Men’s and Women’s singles get underway from 9:30 am on Tuesday, with matches spread across Centre Court and Court 7.
The field features a blend of Ireland’s elite and rising international talent.
On the women’s side, stars such as Celine Simunyu, Sinead Lohan, and Rachel Deegan will be joined by 14-year-old German eighth seed Ida Wobker, who opens her campaign on Court 3.
In the Men’s draw, Irish hopes will be carried by the likes of Michael Agwi, Peter Buldorini, Conor Gannon, and Ammar Elamin.
An exciting first-round tie will see Pavlos Tsitsipas, younger brother of ATP World Top 20 player Stefanos Tsitsipas, take on Buldorini in a headline-grabbing international matchup.
“The Irish Open is a key moment in our tennis calendar, and it’s great to see so many young Irish players taking their chance on home soil,” said Kevin Quinn, Tennis ireland CEO.
“Leah Puk’s performance is a fantastic example of what’s possible, and we’re excited for what lies ahead this week at Carrickmines.”
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