If past performance is any indication, it is probably going to come down to Akash Lamba and Bob Elliott in the finals of the Newtown Open this weekend. But with some new players in the mix, who can tell for sure?

The semi-finals and finals of the Open, sponsored by the Newtown Tennis Association, will be held Saturday and Sunday at Dickinson Park. The Men’s and Women’s Open Singles competition will commence at 10:30 am both days.

On the men’s side, No. 2 seed Elliott will square off against either Max Barry or Owen Robertson and No. 1 seed Lamba will take on No. 3 seed Bob Reby. The men’s final, at 10:30 am on Sunday, will be taped and later broadcast on Charter Cable. Alex Aitchison, former NTA president and current coach of the WCSU tennis program, will do the color commentary.

On the women’s side, having only four entries makes things simpler. No. 1 seed Giovanna Devercelli will take on Donna Lorenz while Nancy Hamilton will battle Sandy Atanasoff.

In other action –

Men’s Open Doubles: No. 1 seed Carl Norbeck/Bill Weiss will take on Bob Elliott/Owen Robertson or Ryan Adamonis/Max Barry; No. 2 seed Gene Chappell/Mark Pizzi will battle Chip McKee/Tim Rives. Men’s 40 Singles: No. 1 seed Chip McKee versus Fabio Anello; No. 2 seed Mariano Moran versus Ray Buckman or No. 4 seed Marc Swanson. Men’s 40 Doubles: No. 1 seed Ray Buckman/Steve Cornell versus Mariano Moran/Tom Nash; Ferd Starbuck/Keith Butterfield versus Ed Becker/Don Farrell. Men’s 55 Singles: No. 1 seed Elmer Adams versus Bob Delfay; Rod Taylor versus Ed Regner. Men’s 55 Doubles: No. 1 seed Billy Starbuck/Ferd Starbuck versus Hugh Lavery/Jim Larin; No. 2 seed Keith Butterfield/Rod Tayler versus No. 3 seed Drew Arnold/Dom Nocturne.

Women’s Open Doubles: No. 1 seed Georgianne Sutter/Debra Turner versus Jackie Delgado/Anni Jakobsen; Loretta Bohnen/Denise Dougiello versus Mary Martinik/Carol Duggan. Women’s 40 Singles: No. 1 seed Giuliana Montenegro versus Eileen Frattaroli; Meredith Dommu versus Wendy Federer. Women’s 40 Doubles: No. 1 seed Loretta Bohnen/Denise Dougiello versus Meredith Dommu/Joan Pagliuco; No. 2 seed Linda Fothe/Giuliana Montenegro versus Shirley Berliner/Susan Brand.

Berlingo Tennis

The Arthur T. Berlingo Summer Challenge is a summer-long tennis league that gives players the opportunity to have regularly scheduled matches in a friendly, competitive environment. Match play begins the week of June 14 and concludes Labor Day weekend.

There are nine divisions – Women’s Advanced Singles, Women’s Intermediate Singles, Men’s Advanced Singles, Men’s Intermediate Singles, Men’s 55 and Over Singles, Women’s Advanced Doubles, Women’s Intermediate Doubles, Men’s Doubles, and Mixed Doubles.

The player or team that plays the most matches in their division will compete for the Gil Fong award by having their name placed in a drawing for “Dinner for Two” at The Villa Restaurant in Sandy Hook.

Sign up by sending an e-mail to Hugh Lavery at Laverylaw@aol.com or by phoning Gene Bernard at 426-3945.  Match results and playing schedules will be posted on the NTA website, www.ntaweb.com.