Tennis Stadium over the weekend in the first junior tournament of the year.

The Cromwell Manders tournament, in memory of the late tennis player and coach who taught hundreds of Bermudian youngsters how to play the game, starts on Saturday.

The Island's top-ranked junior Craig Bean will be looking to defend his title in the boys' under-18 category.

Jovan Whitter and Ryan Swan will also be in the hunt for honours, as will sisters Sasha and Zoe Fisher and Danielle Downey.

The event, run by the Bermuda Lawn Tennis Association, will start on a round-robin basis, with the group winners progressing to straight-knockout play-offs to decide age group champions.

"We chose a format to give the juniors as much tennis as possible over the days,'' said BLTA president David Lambert.

Cromwell Manders, who passed away in May, 1990, taught many youngsters who went on to be top players, including Lambert himself, Donald Evans, Sam Maybury and Coolridge Place.

"Mandy taught us much more than how to play tennis,'' said Lambert. "He showed us tennis etiquette and how to stay positive in life in general and encouraged us to always shoot high.'' PEARMAN FAILS IN QUALIFYING BID GLF Pearman fails in qualifying bid Dwayne Pearman flew back home from Florida yesterday after a vain attempt to qualify for this week's buy.com Lakeland Classic.

Pearman played well in Monday's qualifying round, shooting even par on the Waldon Lakes course in Orlando, but that proved insufficient to gain one of the 12 places up for grabs for the event proper which starts today.

The Island's top pro thought his form had been good, but had not reached the exceptional level required to qualify.

"I shot even par, but it's so tough that I knew I would have to go at least three or four under to have a chance of qualifying,'' said Pearman.

"There were 300-plus guys going for 12 places at three different courses. At my venue, there were just four spots to go for.

"I hit the ball pretty well and made 15 greens in regulation, but I just did not make the birdies on the par-fives.'' Ocean View-based Pearman had also hoped to try to qualify for last week's buy.com Florida Classic in Gainesville, but a bout of flu ruled him out.