Top young English player Stephen Isaac is back to defend his three titles in the Bermuda Badminton Association's International Championships which begin tonight.

And the 20-year-old expects to have a battle on his hands in what will be the most competitive tournament yet.

Even without eight Nigerians who have now withdrawn, the overseas entry list is impressive with about 15 male and female players flying in from the United States, England, Jamaica, Trinidad and Peru.

Included in that list are Americans Mark Manha of New York who is ranked number one in under-19 boys singles and was a member of the 1994 US Junior Pan Am team, and Donna Beach of Naperville, Illinois, a member of the 1994 Uber Cup team, as well as Phillipines-born Erika Von Heiland who is now based in the United States.

Von Heiland was a doubles semi-finalist in the 1995 Nationals and also competed in the singles at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. She won the bronze medal at this year's Pan Am Games in the doubles.

The quality of the field, combined with the minimum height requirements of the ceiling, has forced the BBA to switch the event from its usual home at BAA gym to Mount St. Agnes. Admission will be free.

"I'm just enthusiastic about the number of entries that have come in. It's great for Bermuda,'' said BBA president Junior Durrant. "This is the biggest quality tournament that I've been involved in.

"The support of private companies has helped us offset our costs.'' Isaac will again compete in all three events, including the men's doubles with Randy Brangman. The finals are scheduled for Saturday.

"From what Junior is saying there are more international players so it is going to be harder than last year, but hopefully not too hard,'' said the defending triple champion yesterday.

Still Isaac, who plays at the Wimbledon Squad and Badminton Club, is confident about his chances, having improved his ranking in Britain to number four in the last year.

"I'm playing much better,'' Isaac admitted. "I've changed coaches and I'm just generally better than last year.'' Because he is missing a ranking tournament in England by being here, Isaac will drop at least a couple of places in the rankings but that won't stop him from pushing towards the number one spot in England by the time the next Commonwealth Games roll around in 1998.

Also here from the Wimbledon Squad and Badminton Club is 19 year-old Sarah Hardaker who will compete in all three events, even though she admits she doesn't really enjoy singles play.

Hardaker, competing here for the first time, is expected to be seeded number two in the singles. She will also be Isaac's mixed doubles partner.

Isaac and Hardaker were last in action last month when they took part in the Hampshire Open where Isaac reached the quarter-finals of the singles and Hardaker the finals of the ladies doubles and the semi-finals of the mixed doubles before losing.

Both were also with the England under-21 team for the Four Nationals tournament in Denmark in March, featuring the host country, Sweden, England and Holland, considered the top four countries in Europe. The England team won the bronze medal.

TEAMING UP -- English players Sarah Hardaker and defending men's champion Stephen Isaac will be mixed doubles partners in the Bermuda International Badminton Championships which start this evening.