There is an adage often mentioned in sport that `Youth must be served' -- and there is clear evidence of this now upon the local tennis circuit.

Apologies to Bermuda's veteran players...but youth is taking over, and not much unlike a military coup.

A case in point was this month's Pomander Gate Colonial Open, where five of the 12 players involved in the major finals -- men's and women's singles and doubles -- were under 21, with Jenson Bascome the elder statesman at 20. The women's final featured a pair of teenagers, as Zarah DeSilva and Tara Lambert squared off.

Also witness the recent history-making women's squad that attended the Federation Cup in El Salvador, one which contained a quartet of teenagers -- Tara Lambert, Zarah DeSilva, Danielle Downey and Danielle Paynter. The foursome came home with two victories from six matches, the first time Bermuda had attained such success during a single tournament.

Indeed the local game is now reaping the dividends of a sound investment towards the future made years ago.

Duly proud is Bermuda Lawn Tennis Association (BLTA) president David Lambert, whose tenure has fuelled a great deal of the success that can be seen today.

"What's happening -- and I brag about the committees of the BLTA all the time -- is that something is obviously working, and I feel very proud of the committees and the work they have and continue to do to ensure progress and success,'' said Lambert, now nearly six months into in his second term as president.

Yet, Lambert and his crew are not yet ready to call `Game...Set...Match', as they commence preparation of the next batch of young talent.

To that end -- in association with the world-governing International Tennis Federation (ITF) -- the BLTA have secured use of the lavish, state-of-the-art ITF training facility in Fort Lauderdale, Florida for a week starting July 2.

Juniors Jovan Whitter, Zarah DeSilva and Craig Bean will travel, along with staff coach Terry Smith for intensive training, before going on to other areas for tournament play.

Whitter will venture north to New England to take part in a tournament, while Bean and DeSilva fly further south to Aruba and the Dominican Republic to participate in a pair of COTEC Circuit events -- there are nine in total -- in an effort to gain ITF World Junior Rankings points.

"What we would hope they'd get out of these training camps is the physical fitness, the tough mental commitment,'' said Lambert.

"This is the beginning of something the BLTA plan to do on an annual basis.

We don't have any juniors presently with any ITF junior ranking points, but from here on in this is going to be one of our main goals. We are already putting plans into place to have six go next year.

"We would like to be able to say in the years to come that we're sending squads of juniors in the teens -- 14-16 juniors -- along with a couple of coaches to the COTEC Circuit for three weeks so that they can go and play tournament after tournament, acquire points and get to know exactly what's going on in that junior circuit.'' Additionally, later on this summer Sasha, Zoe and Kara Fisher, along with male counterparts John Masters, Gavin Manders and Kyle Williams will attend the same facility with Port Royal instructor Steve Bean.

There is also the likelihood of groups of youngsters invading Bermuda, with Dawn Roberts, director of the Arthur Ashe Foundation (Philadelphia) seeking to send a batch down, while another set is due in from Atlanta for the Port Royal Junior Tournament from July 28-August 2.