BERMUDA will be put on the international junior tennis map later this year when for the first time the island will host an International Tennis Federation tournament at the Tennis Stadium.

In June top juniors from the US, Canada and the Caribbean will converge on the island for the Bank of Bermuda ITF Junior Circuit tournament.

And no one is happier than the co-directors of the tourney, Allan Simmons and David Lambert. The later is expected to be voted in as the Bermuda Lawn Tennis Association's president next week - for the sixth time.

Simmons who is also the honorary life vice-president of the BLTA, said: "We are hoping to stage this event every year. It will be very important for our young players. Right now we have only been sending them away to tournaments but you can never send enough. By having the tournament here we will be able to see where our players are on an international basis - where they stand. We will find out what they have to do to get better. This tournament will give a boost to all the juniors - interest in the sport will definitely rise."

Simmons said that the BLTA have been looking into hosting this tournament for a number of years. He said: "But only in the last year have we received the OK from the ITF. One of the first things we needed was a sponsor and the Bank of Bermuda (Foundation) came on board."

Simmons added: "Before the ITF give approval to hold the tournament they want to look at your organisation - to see if you have the infrastructure to hold the event - for instance we will have to provide full hospitality for all the main draw players."

While the tournament will be staged at the Tennis Stadium (hard courts) Simmons said that many other courts on the island will be used for practise.

"We are fortunate to be able to get this tournament because other countries would have liked to have had it," he said.

But he warned: "We have to do it right in order for it to be an annual event. We will be going out of our way to make it very successful - making sure the little things are right. That is so important in order to make a tournament successful. I have been to a lot of tournaments in other countries where things have gone wrong - things like the buses which are never on time. All sorts of things can go wrong. We have been having a series of meetings so that all the committees that are responsible for different areas know what they have to do. We have to make sure everything is taken care of."

Bermuda is part of COTECC (Confederation of Tennis for Central America and the Caribbean) and players from that area will be coming - players from the Caribbean, the US and Canada.

The tournament will be divided into two groups - Under 18 and Under 14 - for boys and girls.

Bermuda will get four wild cards into the tournament for both boys and girls in the singles. The island will also have two wild cards for the Open doubles.

Simmons said that world ranking points will be up for grabs at the tournament and direct entries will be based on those rankings.

"Then we have a qualifying event and before that - for only Bermudians - a pre-qualifying event."

There will be a 32-main draw for both girls and boys in the Under 18 event. For the Under 14 event there will be a 16 main draw for boys and girls. For the doubles there will be a 16 main draw.

The pre-qualifying tournament will be from June 7-8 with the qualifying tournament from June 14-15 with the tournament proper from June 16-21.

Simmons' fellow codirector, David Lambert, said: "We will have to have a lot of sub committees to help run this tournament in order to make it successful. We have been negotiating for years to get this here. Besides our main sponsor, the Bank of Bermuda, we will also be getting help from three ministries in Government - Youth and Sport, Tourism and Home Affairs which is in charge of Warwick Camp where the players will be staying. Hopefully this will help with the cost factor. And we hope that the Bermuda Regiment to help us with the Opening Ceremony which is set for June 15 at Warwick Camp."

Of the Bermuda players who may play, Lambert said: "Right now we have a number here who will start training for the pre-qualifying tournament. We will start training on January 26. Then we also have about a dozen players who are overseas in school - most on tennis scholarships. We will be writing to the schools and the coaches to tell them about the tournament so that our players can begin training for this event. Obviously we want our best players to be represented. Unfortunately there are no Bermuda juniors who have a world ranking - but after this summer hopefully we will have. We have the potential here in Bermuda and that is how you get recognised. I expect there to be scouts coming from companies and schools to the event. This is an important part of the development of the sport in Bermuda. Previously we have hosted the 1997 Davis Cup at the Southampton Princess and that was very successful."

David Lang, a director and secretary for the Bank of Bermuda Foundation said: "We are very happy to help sponsor this event. The Foundation's Youth Development Committee sponsors junior squash and golf tournaments and now we will be sponsoring this junior tennis tournament. What David (Lambert) is trying to do falls in line with the Foundation's aims."

Lang, who also enjoys his sport, added: "Sports should be played - not watched."