While Nick Kyme has spent the last six months surging up the world rankings and grabbing the lion?s share of the limelight, Bermuda?s other young squash professional, James Stout, has been forced to bide his time in Kyme?s considerable shadow.

Indeed, the contrast in their respective fortunes this year could not be more palpable.

As the current world number 83 entered the packed Bermuda High School Gym to an ear-splitting reception to begin his first round Bermuda Open clash against world number one Peter Nicol, Stout sat pensively on the sidelines having been comprehensively thrashed by Englishman Ben Garner in the first round of qualifying.

And while Kyme bathed contentedly in the admiration of the media and the general public in the aftermath of his impressive, scrambling performance against the world-class Nicol, Stout endured criticism from some quarters, charged as he was with inexplicable ?diffidence and a lack of intensity? during his match with Garner.

Almost three months on, Stout says that he has now put that ?unpleasant? experience behind him ? although he admits he has some way to go before he can match Kyme consistently on court.

?I was outclassed in the Bermuda Open,? he conceded.

?Garner was a lot better than me and on the day he played extremely well and never gave me a chance to get into the match. I had never come across that kind of intensity and pace before and it was a big eye opener.?

Having taken up the game full-time soon after finishing school at the age of 18, Stout, by common consent, struggled initially to live up to the high levels of focus and maturity required of a professional.

But at his training base in Belgium under the wing of Shaun Moxham, coach of the former world champion and Bermuda resident David Palmer, Stout?s talent is slowly but surely starting to bear fruit.

Bermuda?s Director of Squash Ross Triffitt is in no doubt that the 20 year-old?s career is heading in the right direction and that given time he will be a match for the currently superior Kyme.

?Every time he comes back from Belgium he is a better player,? he remarked.

?We have never doubted his technical skill, and bit by bit he is improving his mental toughness which is obviously key at the top level. At the moment all he lacks is the experience of playing tough, gruelling matches on tour.?

Asked to compare the styles of Bermuda?s first two professional squash players, Triffitt played tribute to Stout?s ?undoubted flamboyance?, although he admitted that Kyme?s speed, strength and fitness put Bermuda?s number one on ?an entirely different level? to that of his closest local rival.

Stout, however, prefers not to dwell excessively on the domestic battle for top spot, concentrating more on developing his own game and making sure that he lives up to no one else?s expectations but his own.

?I know my squash has come on a lot, even since Christmas time,? he said.

?There has been a lot of improvement physically and mentally and I feel considerably stronger when I go on the court now. I feel confident that I can compete with players that are higher ranked internationally than myself. For the moment I am happy with things as they stand.?

But is beating Kyme one of a list of longer-term ambitions?

?Of course I want to get up and challenge Nick for the position of Bermuda?s best player ? that?s natural for someone in my position,? he said.

?Obviously he got the wildcard last year into the Bermuda Open which was good for him ? but also for me because there was no way I was ready for that. I really don?t mind him taking the publicity because there is much more pressure on him and the public expectation is much higher.?

Stout currently finds himself at the start of a hectic summer schedule which will see him representing the Island at the Pan-American Championships in Mexico later this month, before heading down-under for a series of tournaments in Papua New Guinea and Australia.

?In the short term I just want to play in as many tournaments as possible,? he continued.

?It has taken me a year to get myself to where I need to be physically and it will probably take one more until I start getting any sort of meaningful results on tour. Even if I go into these tournaments and I don?t win a match straightaway, it is all good experience for me.?

One and a half years on then, after shunning a university education to pursue a career in professional sport, is he happy within himself that he made the right decision?

?Definitely,? he answered. ?I?m very happy with the way things are going and the progress I?ve made. To make it in professional squash you only really get one opportunity and it is one I do not want to miss.?