Sweden's Mikael Pernfors, winner of the inaugural Bermuda XL Open tennis tournament in 1993, has been granted a wild card entry to this year's competition.

Also confirmed are doubles specialists Luke and Murphy Jensen, who thrilled local crowds on their last Island visit in 1996.

Pernfors, who is officially retired from the ATP tour, beat Ctislav Dosedel 6-4, 6-3 in the final five years ago -- a year which he ended ranked 32 in the world.

He was unable to defend his title in 1994 because of a leg injury. He returned in 1996 but was a first round victim of Argentinian Mariano Zabaleta.

Seen on the Island recently taking part in the the Founders Trophy golf tournament at Mid Ocean Club, his best year on tour was 1988 when he won events in Los Angeles and Scottsdale, Arizona. Two years previously he made it to his only Grand Slam final, the French Open.

Luke and Murphy Jensen, for their part, are two of the game's entertainers.

Luke, with the rock star hairstyle, is nicknamed Dual Hand Luke for his ability to play either right handed or left handed -- often both in the same match.

Meanwhile, a number of players with previous experience of the tournament have confirmed their entries.

Argentina's Marcelo Charpentier, who had to withdraw after twisting his ankle in his last eight match against eventual finalist Sargis Sargsian last year, will be hoping for better luck this year.

The left-hander had taken the first set off the Armenian, who is likely to be named the number one seed for this year's event, and was trailing 5-2 in the second when he was injured trying to retrieve a low ball at the net.

Germany's Oliver Gross, who failed to survive the qualifiers in the first Bermuda Open, last played here two years ago when he went out in the first round to Bryan Shelton.

Gross, 24, at one point ranked as high as 60th in the world, had strong Challenger tournament results last year, winning the title in Salinas and reaching the final in Napoli.

Christian Ruud, a native of Norway's capital Oslo, appeared on the Island three years ago when, seeded eighth, he was a first round loser.

But he enjoyed a successful 1997, reaching the fourth round of the Australian Open, where he lost in five sets to Goran Ivanisevic, and making the quarter finals at Dubai, Monte Carlo, Amsterdam and San Marino.

The 25-year-old's earnings of nearly $300,000 last year took his career prize money to a total of almost $900,000.

Franco Squillari, a qualifier two years ago who troubled eventual champion MaliVai Washington with his strong forehand, returns after briefly breaking into the top 100 last year. He was runner-up at Casablanca in 1997, making the final without dropping a set.

Mark Knowles, of the Bahamas, doubles winner in the Open last April, will defend his title, although it is not known yet who he will partner.

Knowles, who won two titles with regular partner Daniel Nestor last year, teamed up with Javier Frana for the 1997 tournament after phoning the tournament office to see who was available.

The pair had only played together once before but soon hit off a good understanding.

However, neither Frana nor Nestor have signed up for this year's event, so Knowles could find himself in the same situation.

CROWD PLEASER -- Popular doubles specialist Luke Jensen makes a return to the Island for the XL Open next week when he will compete with his brother Murphy.