2022 R48 Player’s Champion Martin Mulkerrins Opens Up
WPH Press, 6/14/22
The WPH had a chance to chat with the men’s #1 seed and current R48 Player’s Champion Martin Mulkerrins on the eve of the USHA Four Wall Nationals. The prolific 29-year-old star opens up about how winning the USHA Four Wall Nationals would rank amongst his biggest titles, his experiences making deep runs at previous USHA Four Wall Nationals, his matchup with Diarmaid Nah and more.
You will be aiming for your first USHA Four Wall National title. Where would that rank with the other titles you’ve won, namely the WPH R48 Player’s Championship and the All Ireland singles title?
I think the USHA Four Wall National Title is up there with the most prestigious tournaments to win in the sport. It has a long history and with that its record books show the names of many of the all-time great players
You have been to several finals of the USHA Four Wall Nationals before. What has that experience taught you?
I have played in the tournament 5 times, reaching three singles finals and two semifinals. I was very young in my first final back in 2013 and have learned a lot since then. I think the key to more recent successes in the US and on the WPH R48Pro Tour (Tucson, 2019 winner, Montana January 2020 finalist and Players Championship 2022) has been travelling to more tournaments. There were a few years I may have not travelled at all due to other commitments or maybe only come to one tournament but in 2018, 19 and 20 (pre-covid) I travelled a lot more and learned how to best play my game here compared to at home. So, I think it’s important to travel and play as much as possible to learn and of course become more consistent
You have not played a singles tournament since winning the R48 Player’s Championship in April. Do you think your recent win will give you momentum heading into Portland?
With the timing of the nationals most players have not played a major singles tournament since the Players Championship or before it. I had doubles championship with my brother, Diarmuid, for most of April which provided some more competitive play after Salt Lake City and since then I have just been training myself, with other players travelling to the tournament and I also played a number of Gaelic Football matches in April/May to keep my fitness up also. Certainly, having won the Player’s Championship has been a great boost in confidence coming into this tournament and I aim to replicate form like that this week
Diarmaid beat you in the semifinals of the All Ireland championships in March. What will you need to do differently to change that result?
Diarmaid has had a great year with a very close final with Killian in February and of course deservedly winning the Irish National (Senior) Championship in March. He is a very clever and consistent player and anybody who plays him will have to play their very best to have a chance against him. I probably know this as much as anybody having played against Diarmaid so often for probably 13 years now since his time as a student in Galway, in later years when we were both in UCD at the same time and then of course in our own events in Ireland for the past 10 years.
You lost your only collegiate match on the Multnomah two-glass show court. Is that court a concern for you?
I have no fear of the Multnomah glass sidewall show court. I think it is a great court and I have fond memories of my first time in the US to play the World’s in 2009 and getting to see many great games on that court including the Brady v Garner final. I have played on that court before and on many courts with a similar layout so yes it does take some getting used to but I would look forward to any game I would get to play on that court!
Watch Martin and the rest of the top players from Portland at the 2022 USHA Four Wall Nationals on the WPH youtube channel HERE
Live streaming from Portland will start on Friday, June 17 – More info HERE
David Fink
WPH Senior Writer