<B>Nantucket Summer<B> by Gerard Shirar

Author:Gerard Shirar [Shirar, Gerard]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780595821389
Publisher: iUniverse
Published: 2006-02-10T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 23

The Tennis Tournament

In the run-up to the Island Tennis Tournament, Sydney and I practiced our doubles game. Our opponents were arranged by Sydney. There was a husband-and-wife team who, like many couples, obviously enjoyed playing tennis but played it only passably. They were guests at the hotel, and I had seen them around. After the set, Sydney told them, with feigned sincerity, that they had helped us immeasurably by giving us the chance to coordinate our game and our ability to work together. Ron Blair and Malcolm also played with us, and I discovered that Ron was quite a good athlete, as well as a hearts player and lover.

The day of the tournament finally arrived. The tournament was held on the asphalt courts of the Nantucket Country Club. It was one of the high points of the Nantucket summer, and was a big charity event, with the proceeds benefiting the island’s small hospital. The hospital was more like a glorified dispensary. Known as the Cottage Hospital it was in a large wooden building on West Chestnut Street. The proceeds from the tournament would be going to the hospital’s endowment committee.

The courts had been reconditioned the year before and were in perfect condition. The spectators occupied the veranda of the country club and two wooden bleachers that gave most of the spectators a clear view of all four courts. The bleachers had been moved from the high school football field to accommodate the tournament crowd. The grounds of the country club were packed for the event. Because the tournament lasted only two days, the normal rules for deciding a winner were altered.

The first singles matches started at eight Saturday morning, and matches would continue through the afternoon and into the early evening. The singles finals and mixed doubles were scheduled for Sunday. There were thirty-four entrants in the singles, twenty-four men and ten women. Two sets of six games with additional games as needed would be played to decide the winners of both the men’s and women’s singles, and all four courts would be in constant use. Winners played winners and progressed to a final pair. The mixed doubles finals were to be decided by the winner of the best out of two sets with additional games as needed. Six mixed-doubles teams were entered, and the winners would be decided in the same manner as the singles. Floodlights were set around the courts to accommodate night play.

The tournament officials had their hands full, but to my surprise things moved smoothly. A large board was set up behind the bleachers to keep track of scores. A tent was set up with chairs for contestants to use between matches.

I played three opponents in singles and won all three matches. I was playing in the group where I received a bye in the fourth round. My opponents were all older than I, and, with one exception, my victories were decided in two easy sets. The last opponent was exceptionally good. He was a tall, thin man, a property owner, and longtime summer resident.

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