It was the biggest five days in the history of Island tennis.

And the man who helped pull it off said there's more to come.

"This was huge for Bermuda,'' said Bermuda Lawn Tennis Association president David Lambert, glowing in the aftermath of the Davis Cup American Zone Groups III and IV championship on the weekend.

The fact that the host team won both their ties -- over Costa Rica and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States -- helped. But more than that, there were the crowds and the successful hosting of eight other national teams in the corresponding Group III tournament.

So enthused were the BLTA that Lambert revealed that in two years they would make a bid for a 2001 Davis Cup tournament, depending, of course, on which level Bermuda are playing at.

Last week's triumph by the squad of Ricky Mallory, James Collieson, Michael Way and Donald Evans sent Bermuda into Group III next year.

Bermuda competed in Group III in their first two Davis Cup appearances but were demoted to the new Group IV division last year after picking up just one victory. Now, though, a new confidence seems to have taken hold.

"We proved to the world, and not just Bermuda, that we are international players on the tennis scene,'' said Lambert.

"Now we want more.'' Undoubtedly, so do the fans, who appeared enraptured with nationalist fervour in Bermuda's two ties, particularly during the gut-wrenching doubles victory by Michael Way and Ricky Mallory over the OECS' Vernon Lewis and Gary Eugene.

When Lewis returned a Mallory serve long, the crowd rose as one, applauding wildly and chanting "B-D-A! B-D-A!'' "One big cheering section,'' non-playing captain Steve Bean would say later.

Bean drew praise all round for not only his technical work with players but the confidence and camaraderie he inspired. Bean stressed fitness -- runs on the beach were mandatory -- and Lambert said that players were required to follow strict BLTA rules in the form of no alcohol and a 10.00 p.m. curfew throughout the tournament.

Bean and the players ate all meals together from April 27 on (Evans, who works in Washington DC, didn't join up with the team until April 29), discussing strategy and who would play in the matches.

The exclusion of Way, the Island's number one-ranked player and a veteran of the past two Davis Cups, from any of the four singles matches raised eyebrows, although after the play of Collieson, Mallory and, to a lesser extent, Evans, the concerns seemed forgotten.

"They all had input,'' said Lambert said of the selection process.

Added Bean, who made the difficult final call over who would play: "When I made a decision it was based on the team. We lose together, we win together.'' Mallory said he's playing some of the best tennis of his life -- and his play last week supported the thought -- but, like Way and Evans, he is in his 30s.

The future of Bermuda Davis Cup is undoubtedly Collieson, a 20-year-old iron-pumping freshman at Auburn University. He returned to Alabama yesterday, to continue training with the Tigers, although, as a red-shirt, he is ineligible to compete in NCAA tournaments.

"It's an incredible team,'' he said after brushing off Eugene 6-2, 6-2 in under an hour on Saturday. "The top five players are better than any of the players here.'' And after hitting with them regularly, he's confident about his future, figuring he'll be on the varsity squad next year.

"I can only go up,'' he said.

Collieson admits he's still in the learning process, notably when it comes to a serve and volley game. Against Eugene, for instance, he went to the net exactly once, saying he prefers to crush the ball and overpower his opponents.

"It's something I want to do more of,'' he said. "I want to cut down on the amount of running but right now I'm just not comfortable (on the attack).'' Bean used an interesting piece of strategy for Collieson's match, sending Mallory to the bench to act as captain. The two are friends and Bean noticed they possess similar personality traits on the court.

"I have a tendency to get negative,'' Collieson said. "It was good to have Ricky out there. He kept me in focus because he can relate (to how I'm feeling).'' WAYS AND MEANS -- Michael Way (left), bumped from singles competition, teamed up with Ricky Mallory in doubles to lift Bermuda to victory over the OECS in the Davis Cup Group IV competition.