Bermuda will be one of 17 countries taking part in the Junior Davis Cup pre-qualifying tournament to be held in San Salvador, El Salvador next week.

The three-member squad, comprised of Luke Attride-Stirling, David Leader and Dylan Powell, depart for Central America today keen to improve on Bermuda’s twelth place showing at the previous event held in the Dominican Republic.

Powell is the sole surviving member from last year’s Junior Davis Cup squad.

The team will be accompanied by Steve Bean, the national youth coach.

Other countries participating in the North/Central American and Caribbean Zone event include Aruba, Barbados, Costa Rica, Cuba, Curacao, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, US Virgin Islands, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Suriname and St Vincent.

Launched in 1985 as the World Youth Cup, the Junior Davis Cup has grown from 40 nations to around 100.

Each year countries compete in a series of regional qualifying events with the top sixteen advancing to the finals, to be held this year on clay courts at the iconic Caja Magica arena in Madrid, for the first time.

Many of the world’s leading players have represented their country in the competition, including Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Agnieszka Radwanska and Simona Halep.

The United States of America are the Junior Davis Cup champions, having defeated Korea in last year’s final held in San Luis Potosi, Mexico.