CHARLIE Barry (Limerick Lawn Tennis Club) will debut for Ireland in the Davis Cup World play-off tie with Syria at the UL Sport Arena this Saturday and Sunday.
The newcomer joins Michael Agwi, Peter Buldorini, Conor Gannon, and Ammar Elamin.
Ireland, under the captaincy of Limerick’s four-time Grand Slam (Australian/French/Wimbledon/US) performer Conor Niland, will look to deliver a strong performance over the weekend.
On his selection, the 24-year-old Barry said: “I’m extremely excited for the opportunity to perform on home soil. It’s always been a dream of mine to play Davis Cup for Ireland.
Almost 20 years since I first picked up a tennis racquet, it feels incredibly special to come full circle and play my first tie in Limerick.”
Added Niland: “We are excited to return to Limerick. The atmosphere was incredible there on our last visit and the team are looking forward to experiencing that again. The team are in good spirits and are very much looking forward to another great occasion.”
“To now also have a Limerick player in Charlie, whose recent performances on the Futures circuit more than justify his selection, adds something extra.
“We are excited to return to Limerick. The atmosphere was incredible there in 2024 (versus Austria). The team are in good spirits and are very much looking forward to another great tie.
“Our last two matches against Austria and PR China showed our players’ capacity to rise to the big occasions. They know they need to be at their best, and are quietly confident they will be,” stated Cian Blake, National Performance Development Director with Tennis Ireland.
Seeded Ireland and Syria will compete across five matches consisting of singles and one doubles match.