Jordan carrying Ulster hopes at junior event after shock triumph

JORDAN McKeown is the last Ulster man standing at the ITF junior world ranking tournament at Malahide after recording one of the best wins of his career yesterday.

The Bangor teenager upset the odds and the seedings as he dumped out third-ranked Great Britain player Finn Murget on a 3-6 6-3 7-5 scoreline.

However, there were second round defeats for eighth-seeded Lurgan player Caleb Ralston and Belfast’s Cian McDonnell.

Ralston lost 2-6 7-5 6-4 to Dubliner Oisin Murtagh, while McDonnell also went down in three sets, 4-6 6-7 6-2 to fourth seed Ammar Elamin, the Irish Under-18 No.1.

But McKeown goes march- ing on and will now face seventh-seeded Italian Andrea Fiorentini in the quarter finals today.

The 18-year-old Ulster Senior Open champion, who was delighted with his latest scalp, said: “I knew I had to stay on top of the points, be aggressive and that I was the better competitor, so when the match got close, I knew I was going to win.”

“I don’t know much about the guy I’m playing next, but I expect it to be another tough contest, although if I play my best tennis, it’s a match I believe I can win.”

Meanwhile, Jessica Leeman will meet Caitlin McCullough in the semi-finals of the Co Antrim Championship in Ballycastle.

The 18-year-old defeated Laura Reid 6-1 6-4 yesterday, while McCullough beat Amy Rothwell 6-4 6-3, with title holder Kerri Russell due to face Christine Duncan in the other semi.