Ronald Smith yesterday hit out against the Bermuda Lawn Tennis Association (BLTA) regarding its manner of team selection for the upcoming Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games.

Both opposed the choice of overseas based players Billy Way and Donald Evans as the island's representatives in the doubles category at the tournament slated for Puerto Rico starting on November 18.

The event will be used as a tune-up by the duo since, in addition, Evans and Way have been allowed free passage into the main draw of December's XL Tennis Classic, which will be the first Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) tour event hosted locally.

Conversely, Mallory and his partner Steve Bean -- ranked first locally -- will have to compete in a preliminary competition involving five teams where the winners are not even guaranteed a spot in the Classic.

"The BLTA have selected Donald Evans and Billy Way and these guys have played together as senior players maybe once,'' said an irate Smith. "(While) both of those guys are good singles players that does not qualify them to be number one in doubles.

"Ricky and Steve Bean are the number one doubles pair in Bermuda and have been for at least two years, maybe more. For the last five years they have won the Pommander Gate tournament and the contention is that they should be part of the team going to Puerto Rico for the CAC Games.

"Billy, nor Donald have any rankings locally.'' Meanwhile, when queried on the matter, BLTA president Keith Fisher would only comment with a statement via a fax, defending the association's choices.

He conceded that Mallory and Bean were indeed the best doubles combination in Bermuda and said that he was sympathetic to their plight of not being picked.

"The BLTA's decision was based on the feeling that they (Evans and Way) represent Bermuda's best opportunity for success in these two events.

"They were chosen based on their past records and success in international competition, even though it is acknowledged that they are not an established doubles pairing.

"Neither Donald nor Billy are currently resident in Bermuda, but that is not an impediment to the current selection criteria...both, of course, are Bermudian.'' However, Mallory expressed total frustration with the situation and agreed with Smith, adding that this was not the first time he had been overlooked in favour of the overseas players.

"I'm just tired of it,'' said Mallory, who is one of Bermuda's premier multi-sport athletes, combining soccer and tennis. "I've put up with this stuff for years.

"What's the point of being ranked the number one player in this island if there's nothing to look forward to? "I've practised and trained hard to become number one and these trips are the only real incentive or reward. And now they're taken away what is there to play for?'' Mallory has been selected together with Billy and Michael Way to take part in trials (singles) for the purpose of proceeding to the qualifying phase -- Evans again has automatic passage -- but was undecided on the matter of actual participation.

Said Smith: "It's obvious that the powers that be in the BLTA have a slant towards a certain family and the local players have become completely fed up with their way of doing things.

"We are no longer going to put our confidence in the BLTA until the BLTA puts their confidence in us. They've simply got to start doing what's right for the local players.''