Squash superstar David Palmer paid local hero Nick Kyme the ultimate compliment ? he wiped him off the court.

The number three seed took less than half-an-hour to beat the Bermudian number one 11-4, 11-3, 11-4 in front of a sell-out 600 crowd last night at BHS in the opening round of the Virtual Spectator Bermuda Masters.

Unlike in Kyme?s previous noisy, partisan wildcard appearances, there was no toying with the local, no free points or sympathetic lack of execution. Palmer was at his robotic, ruthless best.

It is testament to Kyme?s rugged physicality that he was able to give the part-time Bermuda resident a decent runaround, with the comfortable crowd favourite pulling off some outrageous winners of his own.

Kyme?s first comments to the crowd were a public apology for the way he played ? a statement that was drowned out by supportive cheers from the assembled audience who had backed their man throughout.

But there was no consoling Kyme afterwards.

?I don?t know what was wrong with me, I just wasn?t as up for it as I thought I?d be,? said Kyme, who was described by the magnanimous Palmer as ?a credit to his country?.

?I don?t know whether it was the heat or what but I just couldn?t get going and I never felt I moved properly.

?It?s a shame because I feel like I let down all these people.

?I was wanting to get seven or eight points a game, I just wasn?t feeling right.?

The game began with a pulsating 46-second rally which Palmer edged but 20 seconds later a winner down the forehand side gave Kyme his first points.

He traded blows admirably with the overwhelming favourite for the opening six points ? tying things up at 3-3.

But then a monster rally ? ?it took me two points to recover? ? signalled the decline of Kyme, who was never really a factor again.

Another gargantuan rally featuring some ludicrously athletic gets from both players at 3-5 took even more out of Kyme who was to succumb 11-4.

Palmer careered to 8-0 in the second as Kyme appeared bewildered and lost and ? apart from an incredible Kyme backhand overhead cross-court winner worth the admission fee alone ? it was all about the Australian.

He clinched the second 11-3 before taking just seven and a half minutes to finish off Kyme 11-4 in the last and book his place in the next round.

?That guy is world class,? added a despondent Kyme. ?That?s why he?s world number two. He just doesn?t give you anything.?

The nightcap turned out to be the longest, tetchiest and most intriguing affair of the tournament so far.

A succesion of lets and incessant open door moaning at the referee marred the opening four games of the clash between Ong Beng Hee and Wael El Hindi but it matured into unadulterated entertainment in the deciding fifth.

The Egyptian clown prince both inspired and frustrated the crowd with his alternate flashes of genius and petulance.

But after 98 long minutes ? and it would have been longer if not for some strict refereeing Ong finally claimed an emotional victory, 7-11, 11-8, 12-10, 8-11, 15-13 ? fittingly after being awarded a stroke.