Bermuda's challenge at the XL Capital Bermuda Open lasted just short of an hour and 20 minutes, with Jenson Bascome and James Collieson both falling to straight sets defeats.

Bascome went down to Israel's Harel Levy 6-1, 6-0 in 34 minutes, while Collieson lost 6-1, 6-1 to Venezuela's Jose de Armas in the Saturday qualifiers.

But Collieson, in reference to his own loss but in a statement that was equally applicable to Bascome's, said the public should look beyond the match scores and consider the standard of the opponents they were up against.

Though now not among the world's top players, Levy was once ranked as high as number 30 and de Armas, Venezuela's top Davis Cup player, who just last week was playing Ecuador's renowned Nicolas Lapentti, is a clay court specialist.

Levy, seeded number two in the qualifiers, made it into today's main draw, while de Armas, seeded three and tipped by Collieson as a potential champion, fell to Dusan Vemic of Serbia yesterday.

"I am sure that people who don't know anything about tennis will look at that and say 'Oh another Bermudian, what a waste of time'," he said. "But I am putting in a lot of hours. He is the number one in Venezuela and I am happy.

"Out of all the players I have played he is best suited to these courts. Against Taylor Dent (who Collieson played in the first round proper last year) and the others I probably had a few more chances and they are ranked way higher.

"But on a clay court that guy (de Armas) will wipe out (Pete) Sampras."

Collieson got off to the best start of the two locals - handed the serve he won the opening game but was largely overpowered from then on and the first set was lost in 20 minutes.

He came back re-energised for the second and put everything into the opening game on de Armas' serve.

A double fault by the Central American handed Collieson the opportunity to break his opponent but a tired backhand shot brought the game to deuce and the momentum was largely lost. Although he saved a game point, de Armas engineered another with an ace and Collieson could do nothing to stop him opening an early lead.

To his credit, he did not let his head drop and, helped by errors from his opponent, levelled the scores at 1-1.

But that was really the nearest he came to providing a challenge and de Armas swept through the set, winning the match with a shot that clipped the net and wrong-footed the Islander.

"I obviously hoped to do better but I knew going in that not only is he a good player but on top of that he is a clay court specialist," Collieson said. "I don't really have anything that is going to (trouble him). In every point, although we had some long rallies, he was just one shot better. Against a guy like that in these heavy conditions . . . I'm huffing and puffing and on my heels a little bit."

Collieson lamented the draw and felt he would have stood a decent chance against some of the others who played at the weekend.

"There are a few guys here with not many ATP points that got in because qualifying wasn't too packed and to get the third seed . . .," he said with a shrug of the shoulders.

Bascome, who played immediately prior to Collieson, was not given a shot at settling into his rhythm.

Levy, who has beaten the aforementioned Sampras during his professional career, asserted his authority from the off, breaking Bascome in the opener and denying him a single point until the first serve of the third game.

Bascome took that game to rousing applause from those watching courtside but that was to be the highlight of his encounter.

It was a valiant effort, but at times Bascome appeared overawed by the occasion and didn't throw heart and soul into reaching some of the returns - difficult though they were.

The first set lasted around 16 minutes with the second just two minutes longer. But, as pointed out earlier, the gulf between the two combatants has to be a key factor in the overall analysis.

"Under my personal circumstances I think I competed pretty good," said Bascome afterwards. "I am a little sluggish but I thought I did alright. I had a few chances to win a few games, a couple of love-40s and love-30s. I think I played alright actually."

Giving a realistic assessment, Bascome agreed he was on the back foot for most of the match.

"If I hit one short ball that was basically it," he said. "He was hitting the ball pretty deep and if I didn't hit it deep I was on the defensive for the whole game. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to play on clay that much - it's probably my second time - so it was tough.

"My movement wasn't where I know it can be but that comes from playing on the clay."

Despite going out, Bascome said it was an experience that he will cherish.

"I enjoyed playing the match. I didn't have any high expectations coming here," he said. "I just wanted to compete and play well. It was fun and I would love to do it again."

Bascome concluded his comments with perhaps his most telling remark.

"I think if we had the opportunity to play at this level a little bit more the score would maybe have been a little bit more respectable," he said.