Peter Durdle Memorial Open Tennis Tournament celebrates 30th anniversary in Cape Breton

One of the most well-known tennis tournaments in the province will celebrate its 30th anniversary this weekend. The Peter Durdle Memorial Open Tennis Tournament will take place at the New Waterford Tennis Club, located near MacKinnon Field in the community. The tournament is sanctioned by Tennis Nova Scotia and is in memory of the late [...]

One of the most well-known tennis tournaments in the province will celebrate its 30th anniversary this weekend. The Peter Durdle Memorial Open Tennis Tournament will take place at the New Waterford Tennis Club, located near MacKinnon Field in the community. The tournament is sanctioned by Tennis Nova Scotia and is in memory of the late Peter Durdle, a longtime volunteer and supporter of the sport in New Waterford.

This year, the tournament will see its biggest participation with 40 players expected to be on the court, beginning on Friday afternoon. The event will run until Sunday. Durdle was known as a typical family man, someone who enjoyed spending time with the people he loved.

One of his biggest joys in life was spending time watching his grandson, Robbie Kavanaugh, play sports in the community, particularly tennis. He went on to spend countless hours at the New Waterford club watching the sport. Durdle died on Nov. 5, 1995, but his memory still lives on at the club.

The New Waterford Tennis Club approached Kavanaugh with the idea of changing the name of the venue’s annual tournament to the Peter Durdle Memorial Open. The event has been named in his memory ever since. The tournament is set to begin on Friday at 2 p.m., with three matches including Jared Pheifer versus David Theriault, Rob Doyle against Malcolm McPhee, and Alex MacLeod battling Brayden Squires.

Matches are also scheduled to take place on Friday at 3:15 p.m., 4:30 p.m., 5:45 p.m., 7 p.m., and 8:15 p.m. The tournament is expected to continue on Saturday and Sunday. TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE: FRIDAY: 2 p.m.: – Jared Pheifer vs. David Theriault – Rob Doyle vs. Malcolm McPhee – Alex MacLeod vs. Brayden Squires 3:15 p.m.: – Johnny Hughes vs. Jeff Nakhaie – Gary Jessome vs. Robbie Kavanaugh – Kevin Hall vs. James Chisholm 4:30 p.m.: – Nathan Cloake vs. Andrew MacKinnon – Bryden MacKinnon vs. Nate Pheifer – Julian Smolders vs. Colin Gillis 5:45 p.m.: – Camden MacNeil vs. Jared Pheifer – Alexandra MacRae vs. Lesek Demont – Russ MacKinnon vs. Doyle/McPhee 7 p.m.: – Chris Coady vs. Seb Dugas-Ruest – Norman Ross vs. Brayden Squires – Nicholson/Jessome vs. O’Quinn/MacCormick 8:15 p.m.: – O’Quinn/Brown vs. Doyle/MacKinnon – Chisholm/MacKinnon vs. Smolders/Pheifer – Pheifer/MacNeil vs. Gillis/MacLeod – Kavanaugh/McPhee vs. Huang/Phi

Long Le SATURDAY: 8 a.m.: – Kim Nakhaie vs. MacRae/Demont – Katelyn Matthews vs. Carly Hominuk – Chris Matthews vs. Pheifer/ Theriault 9:30 a.m.: – Nate Pheifer vs. Johnny Hughes – Andrew MacKinnon vs. Pheifer/MacNeil – Bryden MacKinnon vs. Alex MacLeod 11 a.m.: – Carter Brown vs. James Chisholm – Dave Theriault vs. Gillis/Smolders – Hughes/Nakhaie vs. Kavanaugh/Jessome The remainder of the tournament schedule will be determined after the 11 a.m., matches