In brief: Bowtell collects maiden pro title
TENNIS: IRELAND'S Amy Bowtell made a massive breakthrough in her fledgling career on the adult pro circuit when she captured her first title on the ITF Women's Circuit on Saturday.
Bowtell, who is only 17, and Britain's Yasmin Clarke came up trumps in the doubles final in Amarante, Portugal, defeating the No 4 seeds, Austria's Katherina Negrin and Frances' Constance Sibille, on an emphatic 6-2 6-3 margin.
The Greystones right-hander and Clarke, who were unseeded, had never doubled up before, but showed excellent understanding throughout.
In addition, unseeded Bowtell reached the quarter-finals of the singles competition, bowing out the No 2 seed and eventual champion, Portugal's Magali De Lattre.
Bowtell continues her chase for additional world ranking points in this week's corresponding tournament near Lisbon.
Conor Niland, meanwhile, has been paired against France's Josselin Ouanna in the first round of Wimbledon qualifying which gets under way today. On paper, it looks a favourable draw for Niland, with the Irish No 1 possessing a world ranking position of 187, while Ouanna is down at 274.
Elsewhere, Andy Murray and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga will return to Queen's Club today after the Aegon Championships final was washed out for only the third time yesterday - only the third time this has happened in the tournament's history.
MOTORSPORT
Defending British Rallycross champion Pat Doran scored his first victory of the year at Mondello Park when his Focus just held off the schallenge of Dubliner George Tracey in Co Kildare MC's round of the Quaife MSA British Championship.
And 19-year-old Dubliner Gary Thompson continued his successful ways in Japan, taking second and third places in yesterday's two rounds of the Japanese National Formula 3 Championship at Fuji.
Irish Independent
