Unwelcome Visitor Greets Opening Day Schedule: Rain

Spring showers that pestered the Ojai Valley tennis tournament on Thursday will mean more work for the men in the Pacific 10 Conference singles division.

With play postponed at various times through the day and finally suspended before 6 p.m., tournament officials informed players they will have to squeeze extra matches into today’s schedule.

Rain is not unheard of at this April event, but it has rarely fallen on opening day.

“We’ve been lucky in that way,” said Norm Blacher, the tournament manager. “The first day is critical because we have 800 matches.”

Their luck having run out, to some degree at least, officials were left scrambling.

It was unclear how the weather had affected Pac-10 women’s play or other junior, college and open divisions.

“If we get too far behind on the first day, we’re in deep trouble,” Blacher said.

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It’s way too early to predict who will play for the Pac-10 men’s title, but who can blame Bob and Mike Bryan for imagining an all-family final?

The Camarillo twins, both of whom play for Stanford, are the No. 1 and No. 2 seeded players.

Bob, the defending champion, beat Sasha Rampazzo of Washington, 6-0, 6-1, and Bobby Mahal of California, 6-3, 6-3. Mike beat Tim Hammond of Arizona State, 6-1, 6-2, before play was suspended.

“We’re both playing great, so it could happen,” Mike said. “It would be a dream come true.”

Bob wasn’t so sure.

“I’m always pulling for him,” he said. “It would definitely be weird.”

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This tournament prides itself on tradition, but small changes show year by year.

There was some concern among traditionalists when advertising banners first appeared around the main courts some time ago. More were in evidence this year.

Even more noticeable, an automobile company that came aboard as a new sponsor had a car on display in the middle of the grounds.

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Nicholas Weiss of Calabasas High, ranked No. 11 in the nation in boys’ 16-and-under and scheduled to enter the boys’ high school singles tournament Thursday, withdrew after accepting a scholarship this week to a Fort Lauderdale tennis academy operated by former professional Chris Evert.

Weiss, 56-1 as a freshman last season at Calabasas, checked out of school Wednesday and is moving this weekend to Florida, according to Bob Holycross, tennis coach at Calabasas.

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Ilian Iankov of Ventura College, seeded No. 3 in men’s junior college singles, defeated Jared Rowe of Cabrillo, 6-2, 6-0, Thursday after being awarded a first-round bye.