Bermuda's James Collieson goes into action for his country this week in inspired mood, as he faces up to the two biggest challenges of his tennis career.

First, he will play number one for the Island in the Davis Cup tournament in Havana, leading the battle against daunting rivals Cuba, Jamaica and Bolivia.

And next month, the 23-year-old will take on an ATP Tour star in front of a home crowd after being offered a wild card entry -- formalities permitting -- into the main draw of the XL Capital Bermuda Open.

These are exciting times indeed for the University of North Carolina student, who said he intended to "go for it'' over the next few months in his attempt to make a name for himself on the professional circuit.

Speaking at the Bermuda team's seafront base in the Cuban capital, Collieson said he'd been thrilled when tournament director Alec Anderson offered him the chance to be the first Bermudian to compete in the main singles draw of the XL.

"My mum called and told me about it three days ago and I was pretty excited,'' said Collieson. "Just now, I was saying to my team-mates `how lucky am I'.'' "To the non tennis fan, the XL might not seem that glamorous, but if I'm playing someone who is 100th in the world, then I know he's going to be pretty damn good.'' The appearance in the annual ATP Tour Challenger event at Coral Beach will guarantee Collieson at least one ATP point, which will in turn give him automatic entry to the qualifying rounds of most Futures and Satellite Tour events around the world. And he intends to take full advantage of that after struggling to gain admission to tournaments last summer, when he travelled widely around Europe.

"I will try to do something similar to last year, but probably a bit better organised,'' said Collieson. "I look at it as a further education process and it'll give me the chance to meet other guys like me, into sport and into training for sport.'' As for his XL appearance, Collieson was keeping his expectations realistic.

"Obviously I want to go out there to try and win, but if I can compete hard, I'll be satisfied,'' he said.

"Of course, I'll be nervous out there in front of a big crowd and a lot of my friends, but I think I kind of like those situations. I thrive on pressure.'' Collieson could be forgiven if his head was in something of a spin after a whirlwind weekend. On Friday he was competing for his college in a Spring break tournament at Hilton Head, North Carolina, before he hopped onto a plane for Toronto.

In Canada, he met up with the rest of the Caribbean-bound Bermuda Lawn Tennis Association delegation and on Saturday caught the early flight to Havana. By that afternoon, he was practising on the hotel courts with team-mates Donald Evans and Ricky Mallory. Jenson Bascome was due to join them last night.

Collieson is now focusing on the immediate task in hand, that of leading Bermuda's effort to preserve their newly won Division Three status.

Only once before in their seven-year Davis Cup history has the Island played at this level -- in Bolivia in 1998 in a campaign which ended in relegation.

And the effort to avoid a repeat demotion could hardly start off in more hostile circumstances for Bermuda, who must face hosts Cuba in front of a partisan home crowd on Wednesday, before meeting Jamaica on Thursday and Bolivia on Friday.

Two play-off matches will follow at the weekend.

"Our group is very tough and to be realistic, we don't know what to expect right now,'' said Collieson. "Although all of our team like each other and get along, the chemistry's not there as it would be if we'd been playing together all the time. But I guess that's the same for the other teams too.'' Collieson relished the prospect of playing in front of a noisy Latin crowd on Wednesday.

"It'll be the exact opposite of what I get in collegiate tennis and it's great for me to get out of that environment for a while and into a more professional atmosphere,'' he said.

James Collieson: Will lead Bermuda's Davis Cup charge.