tennis stars lost his fight for life following a five-vehicle road smash.

Tributes have poured in for 18-year-old Craig Bean, who was Bermuda's top ranked junior player and listed eighth among the Island's male players.

He suffered severe head injuries in the crash on Middle Road, Southampton, in the early hours of Sunday morning.

He spent two days in the intensive care unit at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, but died on Monday night with his family and close friends beside him.

Yesterday, his father Richard, who is president of Port Royal Tennis Club where Craig was a member, said the family was devastated by his death.

He described Craig as "quite a kid'' and said he was known for his sense of humour and joking around.

"Everybody will miss Craig so much -- everybody who met him liked him,'' said Mr. Bean.

"There was never any conflict in him. He was easy-going and a very good child. We were proud of him.

"Tennis was his first love, but he was very sporty and liked bowling and basketball.

"But after his tennis, he was very much a family boy, who liked to spend a lot of time with his parents. He was very close to us.'' Craig was studying carpentry at Bermuda College and had finished his first year with honours.

He was thinking of going on to a school that specialised in wood design, but had also not ruled out the possibility of applying for a tennis scholarship.

On Sunday morning, he is believed to have been out with a group of friends and was returning to his home in Tribe Road No. 5, Southampton, when the collision happened between four bikes and a car.

Three other young men who were riding on the bikes were injured in the smash, one seriously, who is still listed as being in critical condition with head injuries in the intensive care unit.

Mr. Bean said the family took the decision to withdraw some of Craig's medication on Monday night as there was no hope for improvement in his condition.

He added: "We have been very much up and down -- everyone is feeling a great loss.

"But I was with him when he passed away and I found that soothing. He was the baby of the family and he was spoilt by us and his elder brother and sister, Clay and Christie.

"He is going to be a great loss.'' One of Craig's coaches, president of the Bermuda Lawn Tennis Association David Lambert, said the loss was not only great to the people who knew him, but Bermuda as a whole.

"Everybody is feeling a lot of sadness and hurt at the tragic loss of Craig,'' he said.

"He was not just a great tennis player, but he was a friend of my family -- a nice easy-going young man.'' Rising tennis star loses fight for life "I think all of the people who knew him have taken it very hard. Nobody can believe he is gone.

"Craig had such a future ahead of him. He had an enormous talent and was just beginning to mature and come into his own.

"He was so focused, determined, accurate and fit, he played quality tennis.

In a couple of years' time he would have been playing in the Davis Cup for us.'' Craig began his tennis career at the tender age of three when he joined Port Royal Tennis Club, where his father Richard and cousin Steve played.

At the age of seven and standing no higher than the net, he entered his first tennis tournament at Grotto Bay, finishing as runner-up.

From there, he had an illustrious young tennis career in Bermuda, which made him the top ranked player in his age group.

By 14, he was one of three teenagers representing Bermuda in Martinique in the International Tennis Federation Caribbean Junior Championships. There he came tenth out of 32 competitors.

And last year he was picked to attend a tennis camp in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he trained for two weeks before travelling to Georgia to compete. He made it to the third round in the main draw, but lost to the winner of the competition.

In the junior tournaments on the Island he had also won the Port Royal Open, Grand Prix Masters, Cromwell Manders, Elbow Beach, and the Southampton Princess.

For the last five years he had played in the Port Royal Winter League A and B teams, which have seen Port Royal come out on top each season, and he also coached younger players at the club on Saturday mornings.

Three weeks ago, he reached his first senior final in the BLTA Grand Prix at the Southampton Princess.

And just two weeks ago, Craig had the honour of meeting and playing in an exhibition doubles match with one of tennis' former top female players, Lori McNeil, which was an experience that he treasured.

Yesterday, Bermuda's adopted son, this year's Wimbledon finalist Pat Rafter, passed on his condolences to the family.

The two-time US Open champion said: "I am very sorry to hear about what has happened.

"His sudden and tragic death is a big loss to the tennis world in Bermuda. It is very sad.'' Craig's cousin and coach Steve Bean said Craig's playing was an inspiration not only to him, but to many younger players, too.

He said: "He has been with me since the age of three, so I had watched him develop into a young man both on the tennis court and off.

"What he brought to the tennis court was a light-hearted spirit, always in a good mood and always cracking jokes.

"But he was also so free-flowing with his strokes -- he could hit winners from anywhere on the court. He used to make me flinch when he hit the forehand. We are going to miss him.'' Opposition MP Patricia Gordon-Pamplin, who is also a member of Port Royal Tennis Club, paid tribute to Craig, who was her mixed doubles partner in the league competition earlier this year.

She said: "Craig was like a son to me, not withstanding the fact that he resembled my own son very much.

"I'm completely devastated at such shocking and tragic news. He will be sorely missed.

"I played mixed doubles with Craig and have seen him come through the ranks from being very young.

"He was such a gentleman. He was the sort of son any parent would have been proud to have as theirs.'' Police said Craig was carrying a passenger at the time of the accident -- a 19-year-old Sandys man, who sustained a broken jaw and other broken bones in his face. He is said to be in stable condition in hospital.

A 21-year-old Southampton man is still critical as a result of severe head injuries.

An 18-year-old man also sustained a fractured right femur.

Two other people on the bikes were uninjured, as was the 38-year-old Pembroke man driving the car that the four cycles collided with.

Police are appealing for anyone with information about the crash, which happened just east of Five Star Island between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. on Sunday to call WPC Renee Rock at Somerset Police station on 234-1010.

Star turn: Craig Bean seen playing in an exhibition doubles match with one of the world's former top female players, Lori McNeil, earlier this month at Elbow Beach. It was an experience that he treasured.

TENNIS TEN