Women will grace the green clay courts of Coral Beach for the first time this year, organisers of the XL Capital Bermuda Open announced yesterday.

Former Wimbledon champion Jana Novotna and former world number four Magdalena Maleeva have confirmed their involvement along with Jim Courier and Cedric Pioline in the Champions Challenge exhibition which takes place under the floodlights on Friday, April 21.

Novotna, who finally won Wimbledon in 1998 after being a losing finalist in 1993 and 1997, had a career high ranking of two and clinched 24 singles titles overall.

Novotna is best remembered for crying, heartbroken on the shoulder of the Duchess of Kent after squandering her one set advantage over Steffi Graff in 1993 ? tears which had not been forgotten by an ecstatic Centre Court crowd when she surged to victory five years later.

She was also a top-class doubles player ? winning 76 tournaments with an assortment of different partners while holding the number one doubles ranking for a time.

Maleeva, meanwhile, was one of three tennis-playing sisters and turned pro in 1989 at the tender age of 14.

She sent shock waves through the 1992 US Open when she dumped out Martina Navratilova in the first round ? the latter?s earliest exit from a Grand Slam in 16 years.

Her lowest moment, however, came in 1993 when she was Monica Seles? opponent during the infamous stabbing attack in Hamburg, Germany.

The format for the Champions Challenge this year has changed and will consist of three sets: one of female singles, one of male singles and one of mixed doubles.

Additionally, free tennis racquets will be handed out to the first 100 juniors through the gates while raffles, on-court contests, giveaways and an autograph session with the pros will round off the night.

Elsewhere, tournament director Alec Anderson announced that Americans Mardy Fish and Scoville Jenkins have been granted wildcards into the first round of the tournament proper.

Fish was sidelined for much of last year because of a wrist injury and has included Bermuda on his schedule as part of his comeback.

Since turning pro six years ago, Fish has beaten an impressive array of big names including Andre Agassi, James Blake Tim Henman, Carlos Moya and Andy Roddick.

Jenkins, 19, became the first black player ever to win the 18 and under division of the United States National Championships in 2004.

A renowned big server, he was also a semi-finalist at the 2004 Junior Wimbledon.

Both Fish and Jenkins will be hosting a junior clinic on Sunday, April 16 at the Coral Beach Club.