For the first time ever, Bermuda will take part in the prestigious Davis Cup championships.

The Island joins a record 115 nations entered for the 1995 competition, with Bermuda joining newcomers Macedonia, Moldova, Ethiopia, Kazakhstan and a team representing several small nations known as Pacific Oceania.

Also re-admitted was Yugoslavia, following the lifting of United Nations sanctions last week on sporting contacts with the Balkan nation. The six countries will all begin play at the bottom, in Group Three of regional play.

Bermuda's application for full membership in the International Tennis Federation (ITF) was officially approved last month.

Membership in the ITF allows countries to participate in the Davis Cup and Federation Cup tournaments.

Allan Simmons, vice-president of the Bermuda Lawn Tennis Association and chairman of the selection committee, confirmed yesterday that the Island will have a team in place for round robin play, scheduled from February 27 to March 5 at Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The Island, however, will not send a team to the Federation Cup, a competition for women.

"We felt that we should wait for that,'' said Simmons. "We just want to take one step at a time.'' Bermuda will participate in the America Zone III, Simmons confirmed. Also in Bermuda's division are Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico and a team comprised of Eastern Caribbean Islands. Only the top team in the division at the end of round robin play will advance to America Zone II for 1996.

Each team has five players, with one player designated as captain.

All squads are fully funded by the ITF, which looks after accomodation and travel arrangements.

Simmons said the team will be announced following trials which will take place "sometime before the end of the year.'' Expected to challenge for spots are Billy and Michael Way, Donald Evans, Sam Maybury and Steve Bean.

According to ITF guidelines, players must be Bermuda-born and are required to have lived here for 36 consecutive months at one time in their lives.

Not eligible is Steven Alger, who has been selected to captain England in the Italia Cup in Argentina.

For Simmons, the decision to allow Bermuda to play Davis Cup is the realisation of a lifetime dream.

The Bermuda Lawn Tennis Association completed the exhaustive process to join the ITF more than two years ago, the length of time it takes a country to be considered for full membership.

Doug MacCurdy, director of Development for the ITF, visited Bermuda in March to examine tennis facilities, meet coaches and get an idea of the level of play here.

Bermuda had been an associate member of the ITF paying yearly dues of $450.

Dues for full membership is $3,200 each year.

"Years and years ago I thought Bermuda should aim for this,'' said Simmons.

"I happy that this has happened now. Looking at the countries we will have to play, I think perhaps we can beat some of them. We're not going to be at the bottom of the ladder but we've got to start somewhere.'' Bermuda now has five months to prepare for the competition. Once the team is selected the players will go through a rigorous training process, and Simmons said exhibition matches may be arranged against other nations within their group. "This is something we've thought about.'' One drawback will be getting players together for training.

"The unfortunate thing is that Donald is living in Washington and Billy is living in New York, so they're going to have to practice on their own. That makes it a little awkward but we'll do the best that we can.'' DOUG MacCURDY -- ITF official visited Bermuda last March.