Tennis Classic tonight when television coverage beams the event into homes across the United States and Europe via Prime Network in the United States.

What the cameras will show is a first-rate tennis show replete with some of the brightest names on the international tennis scene.

Tennis fans who watched the tournament at the Coral Beach and Tennis Club will have vivid and lasting impressions of a wonderful week of tennis performed by a wide-range of players with unique personalities.

There was the talented showman Mikael Pernfors -- the eventual winner of the singles championship -- and lesser-known individuals like Ctislav Dosedel, the shy but crowd-pleasing Czech who fought valiantly until facing the more experienced Swede in Sunday's final.

What the television cameras are unlikely to show, however, is the shining example of what can happen in Bermuda when people roll up their sleeves to produce a world-class event that, according to officials of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Tour, rivalled some of the better-known tournaments on their glitzy calendar.

The spotlight on the videotape will undoubtedly be reserved for the finalists of singles and doubles competition, but looming large should be the behind-the-scenes players.

There is Alec Anderson, the Bermuda lawyer who was the brainchild behind the tournament, and XL Insurance Company Ltd., the principal sponsor of the biggest tennis extravaganza to hit these shores ever.

George Wardman, the Managing Director of Coral Beach, gets a hand for providing excellent facilities for all 68 qualifying and main draw matches as does Kevin Petty, who made certain the courts were in perfect shape for every match.

Also deserving praise are the unsung heroes, the ballboys and ballgirls and the line umpires who volunteered their time and sometimes braved irascible tennis stars who questioned their calls. These people gave up many hours of their time each day during the tournament.

Sheila Gomez, Joe Morley, Allan Simmons and Bill Way Sr., some of the people who make tennis tick on this Island, provided the Classic the booster shot it needed by directing the large army of volunteers.

Virtually every player -- from Bryan Shelton and Patrick McEnroe of the United States to Venezuelans Nicolas Pereira and Maurice Ruah to the plucky haymaker Franco Davin of Argentina -- left Bermuda with kind words to say about the tournament and our Country. And we all know how pampered professional athletes can be hard to please.

"What I'm going to remember about the tournament is just the warm hospitality of all the people,'' doubles finalist Pereira told The Royal Gazette on Sunday. "And I'm not just talking about the tournament organisers but everybody connected with the event and the fans themselves.'' For nine days Bermudians were offered the chance to see exciting tennis in an excellent venue. Alec Anderson said the number-crunching for the first tournament has begun in earnest. But he also said everyone is committed to bringing the tournament back to Bermuda next year, with some minor adjustments.

We owe all these individuals more than just a backhand debt of gratitude. In the aftermath of the first XL Tennis Classic their service will be remembered longer than the ones swatted by Aaron Krickstein, David Wheaton, Jared Palmer, Gerald Solves and Xavier Daufresne.

Game, set and match to everyone.