Three of Bermuda's top tennis players will tomorrow each make their bid to become the first home player to qualify for the first round proper of the Bermuda Open.

Ricky Mallory, Donald Evans and Michael Way will be involved in qualifying matches, opening at 9.00 a.m. at Coral Beach.

Last year, Way made it through the first qualifying round by beating compatriot James Collieson in three sets.

But at the last hurdle before making the field of 32, he went out to tall Swede Lars Jonsson.

The local trio will not know their opponents until the draw for the qualifiers is made late tonight.

They are sure to get plenty of support tomorrow and on Sunday when admission to Coral Beach is free and fans will get a rare chance to cheer on home players against foreign stars.

The reward for coming through the qualifiers is a chance to pit their skills against some of the world's top players, who make their living from the Association of Tennis Professionals Tour.

In the tournament's six-year history, no Bermudian player has ever made the first round proper.

Mallory and Way, both 33, were the mainstays of the Davis Cup team which competed in Trinidad last month.

Mallory was particularly successful, winning four of the five singles matches he played, but both ended the arduous week hampered by injuries, Mallory with a bicep strain and Way with stomach and tricep strains.

Evans, who is based in the US, was unavailable for the Davis Cup because of work commitments.

One of the Open's biggest draws is Patrick Rafter, twice US Open champion and Island resident, who will play in the doubles with Paul Kilderry and in an exhibition singles match on semi-final Saturday, April 17.

The Australian has not been at his best this year, as exemplified by his latest shock defeat this week.

Rafter, the number two seed in the Salem Open in Hong Kong, crashed out in the first round, losing to unseeded German Bernd Karbacher 7-6 (7-4), 6-7 (1-7), 2-6.

Arguably the greatest player of all time will also show off his skills on the green clay of Paget next week.

Roy Emerson, who in his heyday in the sixties won 28 singles and doubles Grand Slam titles, more than any man in tennis history, is one of five `tennis legends' who will play in exhibition doubles matches on Thursday evening and on finals Sunday.

The Australian now works as director of tennis at Williams Island in North Miami Beach, Florida.

The other veteran stars are John Lloyd, Fred Stolle, Ross Case and Tom Gorman.

Most of the action will take place during daytime next week, but there will also be two evening matches every day from Monday to Friday, starting at 6.30.

Michael Way will join Donald Evans and Ricky Mallory in tomorrow's qualifying round of the Bermuda Open.