Two more of the world's top squash players have signed up for next month's Logic Bermuda Squash Open.

The event, which runs from March 3 to 5 at the Bermuda Squash Racquets Association's courts on Middle Road, Devonshire, has already secured the services of the world number three, four and 13.

The two latest signings are former World Junior Champion and world number seven Ong Beng Hee from Malaysia and Joseph Kneipp from Australia, a bronze medallist at last year's Commonwealth Games and currently ranked number 16 in the world.

Beng Hee has won seven professional titles in his short career which include the Malaysian, Macau, Italian and Swedish Opens, but by far his most recognised result is the World Junior Championship he won at Princeton in 1998. He has been heralded by Squash Player magazine as one of the four most likely players to dominate the men's game in the coming years and has been a member of the top ten since May, 2001.

Australia's Joseph Kneipp has had a chequered career, reaching his highest ranking in December of last year at number 11 in the world after being number 13 at the end of 2000 and number 32 at the end of 2001.

What Kneipp lacks in consistency he makes up for in pure talent. He has recorded victories over many top ten players including Jonathon Power, Bermuda resident Dave Palmer and John White.

His six career titles include the 2000 Greenwich Open where he went all the way through qualifying to take the title. His best recent result was a semi-final appearance at the YMG Classic in Toronto last November where he beat White before losing to the eventual winner Power. White reversed the result in this month's Swedish Open by defeating Kneipp in the semi-finals 3-1.

Negotiations are still underway to secure the final world ranked professional for the main draw.

Local qualifying will be played this weekend with the first match scheduled at 10 a.m. today. Six players will contest the preliminaries with the players being seeded in the following order: Gary Plumstead (1), Tommy Sherratt (2), Nick Wiffen (3), Chase Toogood (4), James Stout (5) and Mel Caines (6).

The players will compete in two pools of three with first in the pool playing second in the other pool for a place in the main draw.

Pool A will feature Plumstead, Toogood and Stout, while Pool B will consist of Sherratt, Wiffen and Caines.

"Plumstead is the clear favourite to qualify while the other position is very much up for grabs," said Bermuda's director of squash, Ross Triffitt. "He has been undefeated on the Island since arriving in June, 2000, with one exception, a loss to former world number two Brett Martin - a three time Bermuda Open champion."

Sherratt, Wiffen, Toogood and Stout, meanwhile, have been swapping victories in recent weeks in preparation for the event.

Profits from the Logic Bermuda Squash Open 2003, brought together by Logic Communications in association with ACE Group of Companies, Endurance Specialty Ltd and the Bank of Butterfield, will be donated to the BSRA Junior Programme, a registered charity.

Tickets are on sale now at the squash club in Devonshire.