The 2018 Best Property Services Newry Closed tennis tournament was held over two weeks of very pleasant Spring weather. The Men’s Singles was won by the supremely talented 19 year old Shane McAteer. Shane was the form player having won three local singles tournaments last year and was now back defending the first of those. Quite remarkably he would lose just four games in the entire singles draw and the most games any opponent won in a set was just one game! In the final he beat the much improving Rory McGeown 60 61 who has risen up the rankings in Newry in the past year. The consistency and speed around the court by McAteer was too much for McGeown on this occasion and whose serve did not have its usual penetration due to the returning ability of his opponent. For Shane it is a case of now moving to the next level in the country as he is currently the best male tennis player in this region.  The Women’s Singles final was a mother daughter battle with Eve winning 62 62 against her mum Derval. Eve showed great stamina and strength as this was her third match of the day. Earlier she had teamed up with Derval to clinch the Women’s Doubles 62 62 against Dorothy Blair and Pauline Meehan. It was a great effort by all the ladies. The Pic N mix Event was won by the two outstanding young talents of our club as Shane McAteer and Eve Campbell defended their title from last year in an intriguing final against Matthew Richmond and the septuagenarian Tommy McKeown. A tremendous achievement for the President of the Club to reach a final and he was the peoples favourite. A special shout out to 12 year old Sean Taheny who won the Junior Boys event beating his friend Calum McDonagh 63 63, two players to watch for in the future. Shane McAteer has still a chance to win all three titles again as he did in 2017 but for now the Men's Doubles has been deferred until June. The crowds at the tournament over the last two weeks had been impressive and there was even a barbecue kindly set up and managed by Alex Staselovich for a party atmosphere.

MENS SINGLES Shane McAteer bt Rory McGeown 60 61 WOMENS SINGLES Eve Campbell bt Derval Campbell 62 62 WOMENS DOUBLES Derval & Eve Campbell bt Dorothy Blair & Pauline Meehan 62 62 PIC N MIX Shane McAteer & Eve Campbell bt Matthew Richmond & Tommy McKeown 76 64 JUNIOR BOYS Sean Taheny bt Calum McDonagh 63 63 MENS PLATE Gary Hanratty bt Russell Shields-Patterson 75 46 61 MENS DOUBLES PLATE Pat O’Neill & Gary Hanratty bt Malachy McAteer Snr & Sean Pearce 64 76 PIC N MIX PLATE Kieran Campbell & Pauline Meehan bt Malachy Patrick McAteer Jnr & Dorothy Blair  76 75