Quality Festival of Mixed Doubles Tennis in Rostrevor
Kilbroney Park was the beautiful setting for the Fitzpatrick and Kearney Rostrevor Tennis Club 2025 Mixed Doubles Open Tournament which reached its finale on Sunday July 27.
This year saw a particularly competitive line-up of teams, resulting in matches of high quality competitive local tennis - all played in great spirit.
The tournament consisted of three competitions – a main competition (the highest level), the Kilbroney Cup, and a plate competition.
It was the first to two sets or settled by a Championship (10-point) tiebreak if teams were settled at a set apiece.
The overall winners were Shane McAteer and Anna Glover.
Shane has very rarely been beaten in singles in Newry in the past eight years and Anna is a fabulous up-and-coming talent, who plays in Lisburn.
Shane and Anna put on a show of sublime tennis throughout and posed a huge challenge to everyone who faced them.
Despite a magnificent effort and many moments of magic by their opponents, Ben Laverty and Margaret O’Hare, Shane and Anna never looked in trouble and won 6-0 6-0.
Shane was one of three players in the Mixed Doubles Open who featured in Newry’s recent Leinster League Division A victory – the other two being Giby Vettiankal and James O’Hare.
The Kilbroney Cup Final saw Shane’s dad, Malachy McAteer, and his partner, Siobhan Rafferty edging victory over Derek Laverty and Alison Dunne.
After the first set was tied at 6-6, Siobhan and Malachy managed to take a tight tie break 7-6.
In the second set Siobhan and Malachy went into the lead, only to have it turned around and find themselves 3-4 down. Every point became a battle but Siobhan and Malachy managed to win the critical points in each game to eventually conclude the set 6-4 and win the match.
The Plate was a hotly fought between Conor McEnhill and Jennifer Magennis. against Eleanor Flannagan and Shane Donnelly.
Conor and Jennifer broke service in the first game and held on doggedly to the break to see out the set 6-4. As the tension
ramped up in the second, so did the quality of tennis. The spectators found themselves spellbound by long rallies of volleys, with both sides stubborn to yield and both showing great instinctive reactions. Jennifer’s determined forehand along with Conor’s uncanny ability to volley back over the net, regardless of what direction he had to reach in, proved just enough to edge the second set by the finest of
margins, win the set tie-break 9-7 and claim victory.
RESULTS
Mixed Doubles Final
Shane McAteer and Anna Glover beat Ben Laverty and Margaret O’Hare 6-0, 6-0
Kilbroney Cup Final
Malachy McAteer and Siobhan Rafferty beat Derek Laverty and Alison Dunne 7-6, 6-4
Plate Final
Conor McEnhill and Jennifer Magennis beat Eleanor Flannagan and Shane Donnelly 6-4, 9-7