THE Leinster Branch Competitions committee have handed down a one-year suspension from representative tennis - incorporating a seven-month ban from national competition - to Michael McMahon (20), the Irish under-18 champion of two year ago.
The bans were imposed following alleged inappropriate behaviour during the recent national indoor championships at Riverview. The player, top seed in the men's singles, was found to have transgressed Tennis Ireland's Code of Conduct at the end of his quarter-final match, in which he was defeated by number five seed Robert Collins.
The Leinster committee acted on referee Steve Mehigan's report on the tournament. Although the event has national status, it is acceptable for the Branch Committee, legislating for the region where the competition takes place, to deal with the relevant report.
McMahon, who is on scholarship at the University of Mobile in Alabama, has been punished by two separate suspensions both related to "aggravated behaviour". He is barred from taking part in National competition from last Wednesday until July 31st. and he is also barred from representative tennis from Wednesday last until December 31st.
This means that he will not be considered for selection on the Home international team. Nor can he be considered for Leinster in the interprovincial championships this summer. It is understood, however, that he will be eligible to play for his University team in Alabama.
Meanwhile, the Irish men's team play Cyprus in their second match in the Euro-African zone, division three, Davis Cup series at the Nairobi Club in Kenya today. Team captain Peter Wright has opted for the old, guard doubles partnership of Owen Casey and Eoin Collins for the tie. Casey, in accordance with ATP rankings, will operate at number one in the singles, with Scott Barron at two.
Britain's Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski upset the odds as the seeds tumbled at the Peters International tournament in Sydney yesterday. Rusedski out-muscled second seed Richard Krajicek of Holland 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (8-6), while Henman had an unexpectedly easy 6-4 6-2 victory over Australia's Mark Philippoussis.
While Rusedski's victory over world number 11 Krajicek was encouraging, Henman's victory was, more significant as Philippoussis is regarded as the best Australian prospect since Pat Cash.
Henman, who beat Rusedski in the British national championships at Telford in November, out-thought the Australian teenager, whose game is built almost entirely on power.
"I don't know if I out-smarted him, but his game can sometimes become a little one-dimensional," Henman said later. "I think that was really the first time I played as well as I can play."
Only two seeded players remained in the men's draw mid-way through the first round. France's third-seeded Arnaud Boetsch, sixth-seeded Dutchman Jan Siemerink, Alberto Costa of Spain seeded seventh. and Chile's Marcelo Rios, seeded eighth. were all beaten.
