It was seen by some as a gamble to take the Davis Cup Tennis tie against Austria to Limerick and to invest in a temporary court and arena at UL but if it ever was it certainly paid off handsomely.

Tennis fans came from every corner of the country in groups from tennis clubs and in families to inspire new generations.

Both days at the UL Sport Arena were completely sold out within hours of going on sale and every one of the near 2,500 seats was filled across both days of action.

The court had arrived during the week before on pallets and was put together piece by piece, and the additional seating installed.

Brian King and the team at University of Limerick had everything covered from access to movement, catering to toilets and there was a real buzz around the place before the team came out onto the court.

An opening ace from Ireland’s Michael Agwi had the crowd on their feet and while the result did not upset the overwhelming favourites, each of the games was competitive enough to give real confidence and hope for Conor Niland’s team.

Another match in Division Two in the next round of the Davis Cup could be eagerly anticipated and would bring the crowds again.

Kevin Quinn as the CEO of Tennis ireland has been in the role for less than a year but this was a real triumph for him and the team on the court as well as behind the scenes.

Agwi, Osgar Ó hOisín, Conor Gannon, David O’Hare and the reserve Simon Carr have come to life as a team through the run to get to this play-off and while the life of a Tour Pro can be bleak enough in the lesser arenas of the sport, this will have provided fuel to fire the dream that tennis in front of an enthusiastic and appreciative crowd is a great spectacle.

 

Tennis Ireland, Sport Ireland, University of Limerick and AIG are all members of the Sport for Business community.

 

 

Get the full benefit of a Sport for Business membership by joining us at one of our upcoming events where sporting and business leadership comes together.

 

Be part of the biggest community of sporting and business organisations in Ireland by becoming a member of Sport for Business and enjoying a host of benefits.

 

Enjoy more of what we have to offer with events. podcasts and a twice-daily news bulletin.  Simply click on the images below to sign up for the free bulletin or find out more…