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BERMUDA | RSS PODCAST

XL Classic is gaining steam

Jaime Yzaga's giant-killing victory in the Australian Indoor championships on the weekend, have attracted several more of the game's most glittering names.

Paul Annacone, a US Open doubles finalist, along with the Jensen brothers -- Luke and Murphy -- have agreed to be part of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Challenger event, which takes place at Coral Beach & Tennis Club from December 6-12.

The three players join a growing and impressive list of some of the top names in tennis who will be coming to the island -- David Wheaton, Patrick McEnroe, Aaron Krickstein, Grant Connell, Bryan Shelton, Alberto Mancini and Yzaga.

Officials of the tournament were beaming yesterday with the news that Yzaga, now ranked 30th in the world, defeated Czech left-hander and number six seed Petr Korda 6-2, 4-6, 7-6, 7-6 to record the biggest win of his career at the Australian indoors.

The news could not have come at a better time for XL Classic organisers, especially since tickets for the event are expected to go on sale beginning next week.

With the bulk of corporate box seats having already been swooped up (there are still some available), tickets for the general public will be in the $15 to $25 range per day.

Tournament official Alec Anderson, still working dilligently to sign more players to Classic contracts, yesterday revealed that he has until 21 days before the tournament (November 15) to lure other stars.

But he should have no trouble selling the event to the public based on the players already lined up.

"We are suddenly the big talk on the tour,'' said Anderson. "You know, for a Challenger event this is quite impressive -- none of our players will be ranked below 120th in the world. The only other tournament with this distinction is Wimbledon.'' All the players invited to Bermuda, with the exception of four "wild cards'', must be ranked below 50th in the world. Anderson already has three in that category with Krickstein (48th), Wheaton (47th) and now Yzaga, who had been ranked 54th prior to his Australian victory.

Yzaga toppled four seeds on his way to the title, including world number two Jim Courier, defending champion and number four seed Goran Ivanisevic and Australian Wally Masur, the eighth seed.

The diminutive South American, at five feet, seven inches, is one of the smallest players on the tour. Last year he won a pair of titles in Auckland and Tampa Bay.

Luke and Murphy Jensen, meanwhile, gained notoriety at the French Open with their doubles victory. Dubbed the "rock and roll'' brothers, they also enchanted fellow tennis players with their guitar skills during Parisian parties during the French Open. The colourful brothers, from Michigan, were featured in Sports Illustrated , People magazine and Rolling Stone after their stunning run in France.

Annacone, a right-hander, has been brought in primarily as a doubles partner for David Wheaton. The Annacone-Wheaton tandem were also finalists at the US Open in 1990.