Squash players Nick Kyme and James Stout got Bermuda off to a rousing start on the opening day of the Commonwealth Games this morning, both crushing African opposition to ease through the first round of singles.

Professional Kyme, currently ranked 69 in the world, destroyed Malawi?s Mkutumula Chikumbutso in straight games, 9-0, 9-2, 9-1 and Stout?s demolition of Kenya?s Joseph Karigithe, 9-2, 9-0, 9-0, on an adjacent court at the same time as his compatriot, was just as convincing.

But both players were well aware that the road gets much tougher from here on.

Later today Kyme faces a daunting second round match against sixth seed John White of Scotland, currently ranked ninth in the world.

And Stout goes up against Welshman Alex Gough, seeded 13th, ranked 20th in the world and a Games bronze medallist in Kuala Lumpur in 1998.

Both agreed, however, their morning matches had served as an ideal warm-up for contests later in the day.

Belgium-based Stout, who has given up playing professionally to concentrate on coaching, suffered an early scare when he went 0-2 down to Karigthe in the opening game, but never relinquished another point.

?I was never really worried,? he said afterwards.

?It was just a matter of getting into the game and loosening up. Once I got into it I never felt any pressure.

?It?s going to be a lot more difficult this evening. But I?ll be trying to stay on court as long as I can, and hopefully avoid getting annihilated.

?But I?m looking forward to it. That?s why I came, to be able to play against some of these top guys.?

Kyme, who polished off his rival just minutes after Stout completed his victory, was equally upbeat.

?It was a good match, a comfortable match ... but more importantly good for what?s coming later today.

?It gave me a good work-out, a few things to think about. It was a typical morning match.?

Two of Bermuda?s four swimmers also saw action this morning but neither Michael O?Connor nor Ronald Cowen were able to advance into the evening finals.

Twenty one year-old O?Connor, in the first of his three events at these Games, placed sixth out of seven in the second of four heats in the 50 metres backstroke, clocking 29.06 seconds.

The heat was won by England?s Matthew Clay in 25.61 followed by Canada?s Matthew Rose in 25.75. O?Connor, who also goes in the 50 and 100 metres butterfly, was tied for 21st among the 26 who competed.

Ronald Cowen, meanwhile, placed sixth and last in the third and final heat of the 400 metres freestyle, touching the wall in four minutes, 14.08 seconds ? over four seconds adrift of fifth-placed Minghze Cheah of Singapore.

The 25-year-old Bermudian found himself in a tough heat in which victory went to Australian medal favourite Craig Stevens, who clocked the fastest time of the morning, 3:51.26.

Of the 20 swimmers who raced in three heats, Cowen had the 16th best time.

But he believed his time might have been a personal best.

?I think I?ve swam faster but I didn?t put in for a record on that occasion,? he said. ?It?s not a bad time for me, but looking back I might not have gone to the opening ceremony last night. I think that hurt me, but I didn?t want to miss it either.

?I wanted to be a part of it but it definitely had a major impact on the way I swam today.

?My 200 tomorrow is my main event. I don?t swim the 400 too often, so I can?t be too disappointed.?

Cowen still has at least four more races in these Games and will be back in the pool tomorrow morning along with O?Connor, Kiera Aitken and Graham Smith in a busy session for Bermuda at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatics Centre.