An intriguing final match-up between Australia's Brett Martin and Zarak Jahan Khan of Pakistan, the top two seeds in the tournament, has been set for today in the Heinz Bermuda Open Squash Championships at the Devonshire Courts.

This after each player was extended to four games before taking their respective semi-final matches 3-1.

On a night of severe contrast that saw spectators first forced to wallow through a drawn-out, physical opening encounter filled with tension between Zarak and defending champion Englishman Paul Gregory, and then enthralled by the delightful finesse of Martin and number six seed Angus Kirkland.

In movie terms the Zarak/Gregory match was an epic.

Lasting more than one-and-a-half hours, the match was filled with ebb and flow, punctuated by prolonged rallies as each waited for the other to falter.

More often than not it was Gregory who made the mistake, with the ever-alert Zarak there to capitalise.

A half-hour long first game -- won 15-10 by the Pakistani -- set the tone and began a night of misery for his English rival.

Still, Gregory responded well following the opening game loss as he sprinted out to a 4-0 lead in the second only to have Zarak fight back to 8-7, before another spurt by the former put him back in control and he eventually took the game 15-10 to tie the affair at 1-1.

Zarak remained calm as he regrouped and came back to take the next two games and the match 15-12, 15-13, clinching with his patented forehand drive into the `nick' that left Gregory groping thin air.

Afterwards a weary Zarak expressed pleasure at his night's work and looked forward to repeating that performance tonight.

"It was the first time I've played with him and I felt real confident that I could play with him and win,'' said Zarak. "Because he's a player that plays up and down and doesn't have many shots to push me around in all the corners.

"Today my shot came out and I took advantage. I hit my shot and got it.

"I played well today and I hope I will play well in the final.'' Zarak, having previously only been able to reach as far as the semi-finals, appeared hungry for his first title in Bermuda.

"I've been coming the last four years and been losing in the semi-finals and quarter-finals, so this time I've come and have been able to play well in the tournament and I have one more match to go now,'' said Zarak, who crashed in the second round a year ago at the Open.

A dramatic turnaround occurred next as Martin and Kirkland took the court.

Gone were the painstaking rallies and brutish charges for the balls. Replaced was a delicate touch and fine placement and all in the `house' seemed to approve.

In no mood to hang around Martin, in the role of a wily veteran, quickly set about schooling his more youthful opponent, surging to an 11-2 advantage in game one before Kirkland finally came around, drawing within 11-9 before Martin extinguished his flame taking it 15-9.

His confidence restored, Kirkland's fortunes changed dramatically in the second game, as Martin lapsed, allowing the Englishman to win 15-10.

But after a tight game three won 15-12 by Martin, the Aussie unloaded on Kirkland in the fourth for a relatively routine 15-7 triumph to secure his membership in the final two.

Asked about his performance Martin responded by saying: "He didn't let me have it all my way. He kept in there, but I was hitting the ball very well tonight and he was finding it difficult to get the ball back all the time.

"He was under pressure all the time and I liked keeping him that way.'' Tonight's final starts at 6.30.