LIMERICK tennis ace, Sam Barry has made history at the Australian Open in Melbourne this week when he became the first ever Irish player to win a junior main draw match at the tournament.

Barry, who will turn 18 on Wednesday, defeated the Russian, Victor Baluda in three sets, 6-7 6-4 6-3 to set up a second round match with Britain's Oliver Goulding who won his first round opener against Yasutaka Uchiyama of Japan in two sets, 6-4 6-4.

Having taken up tennis at the tender age of six at the Limerick Lawn Tennis Club, Sam Barry now trains with Tennis Ireland at DCU in Dublin and is ranked 64th on the ITF junior rankings

Sam joined up with fellow Limerick man and Irish tennis ace, Conor Niland ahead of the tournament to get in some valued training sessions in the 30 plus degree temperatures facing both players.

Barry's win marks a milestone for Tennis Ireland and their junior structure and faces Goulding on court 5 this Tuesday.