Copas is back with real bang
Three tournament wins in row
LOCAL tennis star Ruth Copas has returned to the Irish circuit with a bang, winning three successive tournaments, including the Irish Close Championships in Donnybrook last weekend.
The former St Vincent’s pupil has spent the past 12 months studying under a tennis scholarship at the university of New Mexico in the US and the year of top-class competition certainly seems to have paid off.
Her first tournament back on Irish soil was at Naas where she defeated training partner from Dundalk, Marie Perla Biansumba in the final.
A week late, at the Downshire Tennis Club in Hillsborough, Copas defeated former Fed cup player Lynsey McCullough in the final.
The at the Nationals in Donnybrook last week Ruth accounted for Patricia Darcy in the quarter finals 6-1 6-0 and Laura Fitzgerald from Greystones 7-5 6-1 in the semi finals.
In the final, she faced another former Fed Cup player Marianna Levova who she had never defeated before.
This time, however, she came up trumps playing aggressive solid tennis to win 6-4 7-5 and take the Irish National Senior title.
Dundalk head coach, John McGahon was thrilled with Ruth’s success stating: ‘Dundalk tennis club is very proud of all Ruth’s achievements.
“I am very proud. Ruth has trained under our unique training system at Dundalk since she was 12 years old.
“She is a real competitor and relishes competition.’
Dundalk’s training programme is now renowned for producing multiple national and international champions through a clear with clear pathways to US college and pro tennis.
Ruth was accepted on a full scholarship in New Mexico and has made stunning progress in her first year, lining out at number three on a team of six.
Over the course of the year she recorded a team best of 16 wins and just two defeats in the Fall season and won two titles - the Aggie Invitational and the CU Invitational.
She also advanced to the finals of the Arizona Wildcat Invitational and won all three of her matches at the Lobo Invitational.
She made the Round of 16 at the Fall ITA Regionals and ended the Fall with a regional ranking of 14.