Peter loses but Karola makes a point

PETER Bothwell came back down to earth with a bump just days after achieving a career-best world ranking as he made a firstround exit from a $15,000 tournament in Portugal yesterday.

The Hillsborough man, who has now jumped to 620th on the ladder after winning the Irish Open, went down 2-6 7-6 3-6 to Spain’s Pablo Gonzalez.

However, the 22-year-old gave a good account of himself against an opponent who was once ranked 280th and is now 400th on the world list.

After fighting back to take the second set on a tiebreak, Bothwell was level at 3-3 in the decider, but Gonzalez reeled off three

No joy: Peter Bothwell lost in the first round in Portugal

games in a row to progress.

Karola Bejenaru is closing in on a best ever ranking after picking up another valuable point at the $15,000 tournament in the Netherlands yesterday.

The 21-year-old Windsor ace comfortably overcame Dutch youngster Noa Liauw A Fong 7-6 6-2 to reach the last-16.

Bejenaru had slipped down the ranking list after several injury blows but is now likely to edge closer to her previous best placing of 746 th following her latest success.

Yesterday’s win will earn her a potentially more difficult encounter with another Dutch player, Dominique Karregat, provided the latter defeats a qualifier today.

Meanwhile, Ulster’s Under-18s scraped into third place at the junior inter-provincial tournament in Claremorris, despite being held 3-3 by hosts Connacht in yesterday’s final match.

Caleb Ralston, Cian McDonnell and the doubles pair of Kyran Maguire and Rory Cunningham were the Ulster winners.