Bermuda's Male Athlete of the Year, James Stout, will defend his World Rackets title this weekend against Englishman Alex Titchener-Barrett in New York.

Titchener-Barrett beat Stout in this year's British Open and will now try to take the Bermudian's world title over a two-legged affair starting today at the New York Racquet and Tennis Club.

The second leg will be held at Queen's Club in London next weekend.

Stout and his opponent are no strangers to each other, the pair having faced off five times in recent years, with Stout holding a slending three-two lead in the head-to-head meetings.

He lost last time out, however, at the Open when leg cramps played a part in his narrow 4-3 defeat, and the world champion said that fitness would once again play an important part in the outcome.

"I've been training hard and I feel confident that I'm up for the challenge," said Stout, "I'm looking forward to it.

"Rackets is really tough on the body compared to squash. There's a lot of twisting and turning, and rather than wooden floors with some give, rackets is played on a very hard slate floor. Matches can also be much longer and can last for up to three hours. That's why fitness is very important."

Stout is the only Bermudian to ever hold the title of World Rackets Champion and he is the first person from outside the UK and the US to claim the title for almost 100 years. The only other player to do so was J. Jamsetji of India who held the title from 1903-1911.