Maureen O'Berg and Walter Beatty captured the first titles during the annual BLTA Invitational Tennis Tournament at the Coral Beach & Tennis Club yesterday, but with completely opposite scorelines.

O'Berg, from Maryland and a perennial champion in this annual event, had little trouble in defeating Lisa Cashin in straight sets 6-0, 6-0 while Beatty, a first timer from Richfield, Connecticut, had to come from a set down to claim the men's singles crown in a three-hour marathon over Jim Baker 5-7, 6-1, 6-4.

This was a crowing story during this record tournament week at the Coral Beach & Tennis Club where the tournament had a record 16 events, including an unbelievable 44 entries in the Century Mixed.

O'Berg has been lulling her opponents into a state of confidence with her seemingly easy returns, until the ball hits the court and more times than not, seems to do an O'Berg 'shimmy' before it stops in its track, or curls away just as the racquet of her opponent is preparing to connect.

But the Beattys are more conventional, yet just as commanding. I said Beattys, because there is the wife, Ann, who will be appearing in two finals during the next two days. They announced their arrival, and intentions, earlier in the week when they had two match points against the top seeded pair of Gill Butterfield and Brian Way before going down to a bitter defeat, but both were able to bounce back in other divisions.

While Walter claimed his first tournament title putting in a week's work in less than three hours, Ann will be aiming for her first piece of silverware today when she takes on Diane Copeland for the ladies 60 singles crown. This after she and her partner, Colleen Keenan saved two match points on their way to a stunning upset over the favoured second seeds, Ann Manning and Linda Suderman, winning 7-6 (10-8), 6-2.

Manning, playing less than 24 hours after a major spill on her rental cycle, put up a brave fight and, though losing in straight sets, the battle lasted for nearly two hours. Even so she said she was so upset at losing that first set that she could 'spit'.

"We were that close and lost," she added. But that was only in the first set and with her ankle wrapped, the end was on the cards. In other interesting matched on day five of the weeklong tournament, Walter Milbourne of Wayne Pennsylvania had to use all of his guile to defeat the veteran Dick Mount in a three-setter 6-1, 2-6, 7-5 in the men's singles 70 and Ron Groff had to go three sets to oust Craig Brand 4-6, 6-0, 6-2 in the men's singles 55.

Brian Way pulled off a mild upset when he beat top seed Earl Leader 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 and will take on second seed David Lambert, who advanced to the final with a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Roy Weddleton.

There are seven finals scheduled for today, starting with the men's singles 55 between Weddleton and Groff at 9.00 this morning and ending with the ladies 60 doubles this afternoon featuring Gill Butterfield and Pat Birch against Mac Brand and Colleen Keenan.