01:00 AM EDT on Sunday, June 4, 2006

Win a local tennis tournament, and you will return home with a trophy, plaque, merchandise, gift certificate or, if you are really lucky, a check.

But win the inaugural Bristol Fourth of July Tennis Tournament later this month, and you will earn a ride in the oldest Independence Day parade in America.

You will still have to get yourself to Bristol for the 10:30 a.m. start, but forget about staking out a spot on Hope Street or High Street before dawn. You will be riding in, not watching, the 221st Bristol Fourth of July Parade.

Judy Squires, the tournament director, says that the parade committee has assured her that if the tournament champions want to ride in the parade, they can.

How cool is that? You follow the Mt. Hope High School Band, always the first musical group in the marching order, Bristol town officials, Rhode Island's Congressional delegation, civic groups, veterans and seven drum and bugle corps from as far south as Orlando and as far west as Rockford, Ill.

Proceeds from the tournament will help defray the considerable cost of producing this annual spectacle. If you play, you will probably meet Judy's father, John Partington, who has volunteered his services. He is 84, has been a member of the Fourth of July committee for 50 years. And he has seen a few serves and volleys in his time. He started the boys tennis program at Bristol High School in 1967 and actually played until two years ago, when his legs finally gave out. He is a member of the Rhode Island Tennis Coaches Hall of Fame.

The tournament is scheduled for June 23-25 at Mt. Hope High School. For details, contact Squires at (401) 253-7885.

Plenty of interest

The Rhode Island Open starts Friday afternoon at Roger Williams Park, and Larry Sack, the tournament director is excited. Eighty players had entered by last Friday, and he expects more than 100 to enter before the deadline Wednesday at midnight.

Sack expects the 45-over and the A Division to be the most popular. Play will also be held in B and C divisions. Several college players have entered, among them Brad Dressler of Cranston and Wheaton.

"I'm really pleased with the turnout," Sack said.

He is also pleased with corporate donations that will enable students from Sophia Academy and Veazie Street School to attend the seven-week tennis adventure camp at the park in July and August.

To enter, contact Sack at tennislarry@msn.com or call (401) 784-0013.

International flavor

Checking passports could be fun at the Campbell's Hall of Fame Tennis Championships at the Newport Casino next month. Players from 16 nations have entered so far.

As usual, there will be a strong American contingent of Robby Ginepri, Taylor Dent, Vince Spadea, Paul Goldstein, Justin Gimelstob (for the 10th time), Bobby Reynolds and Kevin Kim.

Joining them will be the No. 1 player from Poland, Lukasz Kubot. Other first-timers in Newport will be Danai Udomchoka of Thailand, Razvan Sabau of Romania, Yen-Haun Lu of Taiwan, Thiago Alves of Brazil, Igor Kunitsyn of Russia and Paul Capdeville of Chile.

Cyril Saulnier and Michael Llodra of France, three-time champion Greg Rusedski and Andy Murray of Great Britain and 2003 runner-up and Austria's No. 1 Jurgen Melzer will return. Big Ivo Karlovic of Croatia (he is 6-10) and Gilles Muller, Luxembourg's No. 1, are in the draw. Other No. 1 players for their nations are Kenneth Carlsen of Denmark and Frank Dancevic of Canada.

The Hall of Fame Tennis Championships are scheduled for July 10-16. For ticket information, check tennisfame.com or call the tournament office at (401) 849-6053. Drop off a tennis racket in good condition and receive a pair of tickets for the Monday or Tuesday session.

Memory lane

Do you ever wonder what happened to people who have faded from the tennis spotlight in Rhode Island, players or coaches whose names appeared regularly or occasionally in this space? Throughout the summer, I'll update you on a few.

Whatever happened to Lazare "Lazo" Kukhalashvili, the 12-year-old phenom from the Republic of Georgia who lived in Pawtucket and trained here in 2003? Well, he is 15 now and still studying and working out at Saddlebrook in Florida. He is playing boys 18 singles and doubles on the ITF Junior Circuit. In April, he won singles and doubles titles in Trinidad and Tobago. In March, he won the singles title in College Station, Texas, and was runner-up in Costa Rica. Look for him in Newport in a few years.

And whatever happened to Bill Falcone, former co-commissioner of the R.I. Men's League, that Tuesday night institution? He writes that he is retired, living in Sarasota from October to May, and Newport from June through September. He plays tennis at the Bath and Racquet Club in Sarasota, where he bumps into Newport native and top Super Senior Peter Veieira and watches Martina Navratilova, the Bryan Brothers and Jimmy Arias, all members. And he plays for Warwick Heights B in the R.I. League.

mszostak@projo.com/ (401) 277-7340