Boston, home of the Red Sox, Bruins and the Celtics, welcomed players and followers of two other sports tonight. The Tennis and Racquet Club was playing host to both the U.S. Amateur Racquets Championships and the U.S. Amateur Court Tennis Championships.

The Union Club was the venue for the traditional Thursday evening gentlemens black tie dinner. Plates of hors d oeuvres made there way around the Oak Room on the 5th floor as the 20 or so players and guests took in a magnificent view of downtown at night. A fine meal Lou disagreed was enjoyed by the group and then of course it was time for introductions and stories.

Our gracious host, E. Denis Walsh, introduced world champion John Prenn, who talked of a match played with his nephew, Alexis Prenn, against a team made up of Crawleys. Both Prenns blamed the other for faulting on match point in a match they eventually lost. We still talk about it, said John. Just the manner in the recounting offered the diners the fact that even a World Champion can be human. Jamie Dodderidge, from Philadelphia, had nothing but great words about the camaraderie in the sport of rackets and hoped that court tennis players could follow our lead. Robin Geffen, over from London, thanked Denis for his kindness and t the Boston club for the hospitality we were to receive over the weekend.

Dev Hamlen continued with the camaraderie in our game. He has mentioned this before but it is so true. In what other sport can you be on court and equal to a world champion. Would you get a chance to play on center court at Wimbledon with Pete Sampras? No way!! But we all have a chance to play with or against world champions in our fine sport. Lou aka The Fork Habina, in from the Racquet Club of Philadelphia, introduced James Hill from Tonbridge. James is in the City of Brotherly Love to help with the racquets program and also get some on and off court experience, North American style. Lou, also offered a toast to our great friend and supporter, Ed Ulmann, who recently underwent surgery to repair a damaged aorta.

T&R president, Bob Hurley, welcomed all players and guests and promised a great weekend. He talked of the improvements to the club with the construction of additional squash courts. How did he get away with so much talk about squash, Ulmann is sure to ask someone? Well, the new young squash players will play their game, get interested in our game and racquets will continue at the T&R. Jim MacLellan, scribe and photographer, talked about the upcoming Canadian championships in two weeks as well as the 100th playing of the Canadian tournament celebration in January 2005.

A couple of games were played Thursday as the Philly contingent split their opening round matches. Lou Habina lost to a Brit turned Bostonian, Horsey, while Old Tonbridgian, James Hill defeated Keene of the local club. Friday play continued and the draw was whittled down to 3 semifinalists, the top three seeds; Guy Smith-Bingham (UK), who beat Rob McLane (T&R); Jonathan Larken (NY) defeated Karel Nemec (MRC) and John Prenn who had a great match against local favorite Todd Merringoff. Although Todd lost in 2 straight games, the second came proved to be the game of the tournament so far. In the end, the final score was 15-13 for Prenn.

Saturday morning gave us the upset of the tournament. Guy Devereux (NY 4th seed) took on Bart Sambrook (MRC) in a ¼ final match. For the past two years at the Tuxedo Gold Racquets these two have met, with the same result: A Devereux victory. The same appeared to be happening after an easy first game victory. But Sambrook would have nothing of this familiar sight. Serving to excellent length time and time again, he won game two and set up the deciding game. It was no contest as Sambrook breezed to an easy victory and a trip to the semis. Sambrook said afterwards that this win was his second best of his career. The first would have to be his Canadian Amateur victory in 1993. Play went as expected the rest of the way as Smith-Bingham beat Sambrook and Larken defeated Prenn to set up Sunday mornings final. In the doubles semis, top seeds Larken and Devereux beat Merringoff and Russell (4th seed) and Smith-Bingham and Prenn (2nd) took care of Nemec and Sambrook (3rd).

A wonderful dinner Saturday night took place at Les Zygomattes, an upscale jazz bistro near South Station. About 35 rackets players, tennis players and guests braved the New England cold and made their way downtown. The first part of the evening was spent in the bar, cocktails in hand and eyes glued to the TV as the local favorite Patriots were entertaining the Tennesee Titans. Pats win 17-14, Titan gamblers win as well, since the Pats did not cover. Fine dining, excellent wine and some beautiful music were the highlights of the evening. Soon it was off to points beyond or home to bed.

The finals on Sunday morning started of much as expected. Larken and Smith-Bingham playing excellent rackets and giving the small gallery some great rallies and a magnificent game. Trailing 13/7, Larken crawled back to tie and called no set. The serve came back to him straightaway and he faulted. This was no doubt the turning point of the match. Young Smith-Bingham came in and served for the game and then easily won the next two for the title. The score were 15/13, 15/2 and 15/1. Both players cracked the ball hard and the rallies were brilliant. But in the end, that service fault in game one could have spelled the difference. Congratulations to both players for their efforts and especially to Guy who adds the U.S. Amateur to his British Amateur and British Open titles. Sadly he will not be in Montreal to try and add the Canadian Amateur to his list.

Brunch was served before the doubles final and during the U.S. Amateur Tennis finals, an exciting 5 set match between perennial finalists Nigel Pendreigh and Morris Clothier. Pendeigh won the match 3 sets to two after being up 2 sets to love. Larken and Devereux came out of the blocks early in the doubles final and had one thing on their minds; the championship. The match was a great one for the gallery. The rallies were long and the shots crisp and murmurs whistled through the court as time and time again, one of the lads would hit a ball that was so hard and perfect, the gallery could not see it. But there was a player ready to strike his return. The first two games went to Larken and Devereux by identical scores of 15/6. Game three was a tighter match and Prenn and Smith-Bingham found them selves in front for most of the game. At game point they lost serve and Larken and Devereux stormed back to tie and force a 3 point set. Both teams had chances to win and in the end Prenn and Smith-Bingham took the win to force another game. Had the momentum shifted? No!!! Larken and Devereux dominated game four and took the game (15/5) and the U.S. Doubles title was theirs.