The nucleus of Ireland's Davis Cup team flew out this morning to Sydney to embark on a 10-week itinerary of the ITF satellite circuits.

The tour will extend to New Zealand in what is the most enterprising of ventures undertaken by a group of Irish tennis players ahead of a Davis Cup match.

Peter Clarke, John Doran and Conor Niland will also be joined by Tennis Ireland coach Pete Lowther. "It can only do our young players and the game here in general a great deal of good," said Lowther.

"The players are young and enthusiastic and are bound to be well prepared for the Davis Cup match at home against Denmark in April."

But while the Irish trio are honing competitive skills down under, Stephen Nugent, a young Dubliner who was set to gain perhaps most from the experience has been forced to stay at home, due to surgery on an ankle injury.

Clarke (22), has, of course, spent most of his life in Sydney. All three Irish players will be involved in a non-ranking tournament next week, followed by four weeks of concentrated competitive play before moving to New Zealand. The squad return later to Queensland for more satellite action.

Meanwhile, Kelly Liggan can claim a first in the annals of Irish women's tennis by reaching the third round in the Australian qualifiers last week.