Plans are under way for Bermuda to host a celebrity golf and tennis tournament next year to raise money for development of the Island's junior tennis players.

Names such as basketball greats Michael Jordan, Charles Barclay and John Lucas, tennis stars Zina Garrison, MaliVai Washington and Amanda Coetzer and actress Robin Givens, a big tennis fan, are among the stars that will be targeted.

All those celebrities have one thing in common -- they are friends of American tennis player Lori McNeil.

And McNeil, who is currently on vacation at Elbow Beach, said yesterday that she hoped to bring her famous pals to the Island next spring or summer for the event.

"I've participated in quite a few celebrity sports events and I've always wanted to put one together myself,'' said McNeil.

"But it was impossible to do it while I was playing -- I was just too busy. I hope my friends will be as excited about this as I am.

"I retired from singles in '98 and this year I've just played a bit of doubles with Amanda Coetzer. I'm going to play a couple more tournaments before the end of the year and then see how I feel.'' McNeil is planning to set up a tennis academy for youngsters in Ocala, Florida and wanted to check out the young tennis talent in Bermuda with that in mind.

The heyday of the California-born McNeil was in the late 80s to the mid-90s when she reached two Grand Slam singles semi-finals.

In 1987, she defeated Chris Evert in the US Open to reach the last four and in 1994 she pulled off an even more stunning victory at Wimbledon against the then world number one Steffi Graf and again went on to reach the semis.

Most of her success has come in doubles, in which she has won 45 titles, including the 1988 French Open mixed doubles championship with Jorge Lozano, and is still ranked number 56 in the world in doubles at the age of 36.

The former US Federation Cup team player also has 10 singles titles to her name.

McNeil's first trip to Bermuda came about after she met Bermuda Lawn Tennis Association president and Elbow Beach director of tennis David Lambert at the US Open last month.

Yesterday, she hit with the Island's number one Davis Cup player James Collieson and a former Island number one Sam Maybury.

On Friday afternoon, at 4.30 p.m., she will be holding a clinic with many of the Island's best junior players at Elbow Beach. And the following day on the same courts, at 11.30 a.m., McNeil will play in an exhibition doubles match, partnering Michael Way against Maybury and Ricky Mallory.

Lambert said the celebrity golf/tennis event, if it became reality, would be a huge boost to junior development.

"We need to expose our top juniors overseas and the expense of sending them just kills us (the BLTA),'' said Lambert.

"This year we've spent $24,000. If Lori McNeil can bring her friends to Bermuda to raise money for our juniors, everybody wins.

"People will play good money to play golf with Michael Jordan or tennis with Charles Barclay. We are having a meeting with the BLTA tonight (last night) to discuss the next step.'' Jordan and Barclay have both played golf on the Island before and Washington has competed in the annual Bermuda Open tennis tournament.