Invitational Tournament at Coral Beach was sizzling yesterday with no less than five three-set matches and a host of other exciting contests.

Topping the bill were the men's 55 quarter-final matches involving David Marshall and Paul Perregaux. Marshall had to battle from a set down to defeat Mike Keyes 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 while Perregaux dropped the middle set to John Perkins on his way to a 6-2, 6-7, 6-2 win.

However, both victors will receive stiff tests in the semi-finals when they take on the numbers one and two seeds, Dick Mount and Wally Stimpson.

Mount eased past fellow American Immo Von Schroeter in straight sets 6-1, 6-3 to await the challenge of Marshall, while Stimpson found a slightly tougher foe in Terry Allen before advancing 7-5, 6-3.

In another interesting match top seeds Gill Butterfield and Mike Curry defeated Heidi and Graham Boyle 6-4, 6-4 in the mixed open while women's open second seed Kelly Holland was made to fight for every point before overcoming Dominique Laffont, a newcomer to Bermuda.

Bermudian Debbie Darrell advanced to the final of the women's 40 event when she defeated Jackie MacKool 6-0, 6-3 and will face the all-conquering top ranked Mary Lenore Blair in Friday's final.

Highlighting today's action should be the 10 a.m. fixture in which top seed Joan Hassell of England will face American Talley Spadone while two former Davis Cup players, Norberto Herrero (former number one in Bermuda) and his partner Rafael Fuentes of Argentina and Uruguay respectively, will take on the local team of Courtland and Graham Boyle.