Dennis Cross, the new player on the block, opened his account in the Bermuda Lawn Tennis Club Invitational tournament at Coral Beach Club yesterday when he came from a set down to defeat fellow American Craig Brand 3-6, 6-3 7-5 in first round action.

The Los Angeles resident, playing in his first tournament, found the early going tough and before he could recover was a set down and trailing 1-0 in the second.

But he soon discovered his range, and that of his Pennsylvania opponent, before taking 13 of the next 20 games for the match.

However, things won't get any easier for Cross today as he faces former tournament champion, Bermudian Vernal Davis.

In another interesting contest on the weekend, sixth seeds American Betty Ortzig and Bermudian Earl Leader were pushed to the limit before coming through with a straight sets 6-4, 6-4 victory over the unseeded pair of Katherine and Morgan Smith, while Beth and Patrick O'Kelly outlasted Joan and Warren Schimpe 6-0, 3-6, 6-1 in an all-American affair.

Full results, see Scoreboard