Hamilton beats Collins to claim Irish close crown

GREYSTONES tennis player Tommy Hamilton won the Carlsberg Irish close championship at Donnybrook this week in 1996 when he defeated top seed Eoin Collins in the final.

‘He took the title after the match went to three sets,’ read the report in the Wicklow and Bray People newspapers that week. ‘He lost the first 6-4 and faced match points when Collins led 5-4 and served for the match at 6-5 in the second set.

‘But Hamilton fought back to level at six all and take the tiebreak 9-7.

‘There was nothing that Davis Cup player Collins could do in the decisive set as Hamilton completely overpowered him with strong serving and impeccable ground strokes to win 6-2.

‘There was more joy for this son of former Irish international soccer player Tommy as he teamed up with Collins’ younger brother Rory to take the men’s doubles crown with a straight set, 6-2, 6-4 win over the partnership of J. Doran and G. McGil.

Hamilton had just recently returned from America where he had completed two years of his four-year scholarship in Arkansas University. His biggest achievement there (to date) was his qualification for the national collegiate championships with his Australian partner Tim Crighton in the doubles.

The previous month he had won the Munster Open when he defeated another top player, Tim Cooper, in the final at Sunday’s Well.

He also won at his own club’s competition when he recorded a straight sets victory over another of Ireland’s leading stars, Owen Casey.

Hamilton was a former under-14, 16 and 18 clay court and indoor national champion and he represented Ireland on numerous occasions.