Although for many local fans, the Virtual Spectator Bermuda Masters doesn?t begin until Nick Kyme takes to the court at 6 p.m. today, the action actually begins with 12th seed John White at noon.

White, a perennial top ten player, showman and never one to rule out of a major tournament, takes on Welshman Alex Gough on the state-of-the art all-glass court at the Jessie Vesey Sports Hall at Bermuda High School.

That game is followed by Bermuda resident David Palmer?s first game, a tough battle with fellow Aussie and former world number four Paul Price at 1.30 p.m.

Palmer, who was beaten last year in the final by Lee Beachill after defeating Jonathon Power in one of the best matches squash has ever seen at the semi-final stage, is determined to go one better this time around.

The serious but affable Palmer, one of the tournament favourites, is likely to get the crowd behind him again but needs to be wary of Price, a dangerous shotmaker who is capable of beating anyone on his day.

Aside from the all-glass court, four matches will also be played at the Bermuda Squash Racquets Association headquarters in Devonshire, with Canadian Jonathon Power taking on Mark Chaloner in the pick of the bunch.

Power, who played an exhibition with Palmer here last summer, is a real crowd pleaser and his aggressive, imaginative and emotional style of play is expected to carry the number six seed through into the later rounds of the tournament.

Number seven seed Nick Matthew, who knocked out both world champion Amr Shabana and world number one Thierry Lincou in successive rounds last time out, opens against Shahid Zaman of Pakistan while Egyptian Mohammed Abbas takes on Malaysian Ong Beng Hee, the winner here of the 2003 Logic Open.

Up and coming Frenchman Gregory Gaultier, seeded nine, takes on Simon Parke while Shabana plays Renan Lavigne after Kyme?s match at BHS at 7.30 p.m.

Last year?s winner of the $55,000 Open, Beachill, opens his account tomorrow against fellow Brit Bradley Ball and is trying not to worry about his defending champion tag.

?There has been some debate between myself and Peter Nicol (winner of the Masters last year in Qatar) as to who is exactly the defending champion,? said Beachill, after coming off a practice session with Nicol on the all-glass court.

?I won here but he won the Masters, but it isn?t something I want to think about too much. I try and go into every tournament the same way, taking it one game at a time and trying to go all the way.

?Whether I am the defending champion or not shouldn?t matter. It helps having played here so many games, though, I know my way around quite well and things are familiar here.

?I am feeling pretty good coming into this so I would hope to try and repeat what I did last year.?

The Bank of Bermuda Foundation Junior Squash Championships finished yesterday with local players taking three of the four titles on offer.

Douglas Olson took the Boys? Under-19 trophy winning two marathon matches against local rival Graham Counsell and Ben Mantica from the USA.

Laura Robinson was successful not only in winning the Girls? Under-19 title but also clinching a place in the national senior team competing in the Small Island Games in July.

Gary Power of the USA proved to strong for everyone in the Boys? Under-15 competition, winning through without dropping a single game and the Girls? Under-15 winner was Alex Furtardo who beat compatriot Kelly Barnes.