By Darlene Jackson

Newtown is in bloom – the dogwoods, the forsythia, and the pinks, so never mind the rain predicted for this weekend. It is time for outdoor tennis.

Besides the Sandlot tennis every Wednesday night from 5 pm until dark at Dickinson Park, there is the tennis clinic planned for May 31 from 9 am until 12 noon at the same place (hosted by the Newtown High School Girls tennis team), the Berlingo Championships, and the Newtown Open.

All are in high gear of planning and doing by the Newtown Tennis Association (NTA).

The NTA Sandlot tennis is free. Just bring a racket and come participate in pick-up games. It might be singles, doubles, mixed doubles or any combination determined by those who show up.

The Berlingo is also free, just call or email Wendy Fong (426-3005 or wendyfong@juno.como) to participate in singles or doubles. Play begins in June.

The high school players are using the tennis clinic as a fundraiser and are requesting a $l0 donation, asking that spectators come and support the event.

As for the 2003 Open Tennis Tournament, there are 187 entries and 140 of them should have played their first-round matches by last weekend. The other 47 had byes. Men outnumber the women entries more than two to one. One hundred twenty-seven men will be competing, 26 in the men’s open singles, 22 in the men’s 40 singles, and 14 in the men’s 55 singles.

Akash Lamba again is seeded number one in the open Field and Marc Swanson in the 40 singles. Elmer Adams is number one in the 55 singles.

Quarter-finalists in the men’s open division are Owen Robertson vs. Mike Bailey, Tim Hanley and Paul Fairchild, whose opponents were not determined at press time. Round of 16 matches to be played are Lamba vs. Tim Weber, Max Barry vs. Fabio Anello, Shawn Stillman vs. Bob Elliott, and Anthony Ditullio, whose opponent was not reported at press time. No results were available in the men’s 40 and 55 singles.

The three men’s doubles – open, 40’s, and 55’s has 46 men playing with Owen Robertson and Bob Elliott seeded number one in the open, Bob Lapple and Al Turner in the 40’s, and Wayne McCormack and Ferd Starbuck in the 55’s. Only one doubles quarterfinal match-up was reported. Bob Delfay and Richard Dilley will play Butterfield and Taylor.

There are only 13 women entered in the two divisions of women’s singles – the open and the 40 singles, with Newtown’s own Carol Lipnick is seeded number one in the first division and Meredith Dommu in the 40 division. Ms. Lipnick is teamed with Debra Turner as number one seed in the open doubles field with four teams competing.

Carol Duggan and Mary Martinik are seeded first in the 10-team women’s 40 doubles. They will meet Nancy Giddings and Rosemary Little in the one quarter final. Other quarterfinals in the 40 doubles are Susan Clark and Anna Zahn vs. Anna Maher and Kristin Phelps; Loretta Bohnen and Denise Dougiello vs. Peggy Mehai and Carol Lee Smith; and Nancy Bento and Megan Will vs. No. 2 seeds, Jackie Delgado and Anni Jakobsen.

Nineteen teams are entered in mixed doubles with Kathryn Miles and Randy Saadeh seeded first and already into the quarterfinals, where they will play Kelly Pinckney and Val Ray. Nancy Hamilton and Bob Reby, No. 3 seeds, do not know who their quarterfinal opponents are yet. Elaine Daubner and John Hartford will play Clesha Da Silva and Monique Rutledge and Susan Brand and Jeff Herriott will play Carl Bailey and Giovanna Devercelli, the No. 2 seeds.

Semi-finals will be played at Dickinson Park June 7. Women’s and men’s 40 singles is slated for 8:45, men’s and women’s open singles will be at 10:30 am. Women’s and men’s 40 doubles will be at noon, men’s and women’s open doubles will be at 1:30 pm, mixed doubles and men’s 55 singles will be at 3 pm, and men’s 55 doubles at 4:30 pm. Finals will be Sunday, June 7, on basically the same time schedule.