WE in the media often stand accused of cheap sensationalism ? of straining every sinew in our devious little minds to blow even the tiniest of issues completely out of proportion. We never allow, so the charge goes, such piffling little details such as facts or context get in the way of a good story, an explosive headline or a healthy circulation.

And to an certain extent this may very well be true.

But in proffering this next little opinion, I'm pretty sure I'm on fairly solid ground.

Without fear of contradiction, I believe I can say that Saturday night's Bermuda Squash Racquets Association Club Championship final between world number 71 Nick Kyme and world number 121 James Stout, is by far the most important encounter in the history of local squash.

There, I've said it.

Never before have two Bermudian professionals (arguably the two most talented players the island has ever produced) battled it out for a prize so fiercely coveted. At stake is a shot at the big time: a single wild card place at the second biggest tournament in the professional game, The Virtual Spectator Bermuda Masters 2005.

To the winner will come the unprecedented opportunity of pitting their skills against the world's top 31 players, a deluge of precious ranking points and a life of relative security in the cut-throat world of top-flight squash.

The loser will have to resign himself to another painful year in the lower echelons of the world rankings ? playing in minuscule tournaments in often flea-bitten locations, living out of a suitcase in seedy airport hotels and generating the income relative to a lowly sweatshop worker in a Jakarta clothes factory.

The local squash fraternity has been buzzing in anticipation of this encounter for some time. And while the majority believe history will repeat itself, with Kyme proving to be too strong and too quick for his younger adversary, there are a few who remain convinced that the gifted Stout has what it takes within his lanky frame to pull of a quite remarkable upset.

The contrast in their styles could not be more marked.

Kyme is the supreme athlete, all explosive speed and power. Blessed with leg muscles as hard as oak, calves like chimney-pots and a sensationally high level of natural fitness, the 24-year old is capable of driving many a good player to distraction with his enviable court coverage and seemingly endless supply of energy. While his shot-making ability at the top level is slowly improving, Kyme's unadulterated physicality is his real weapon.

Whether or not he will ever possess the requisite racquet skills to challenge those at the pinnacle of the professional game is a matter open to debate. But as world renowned coach Mike Way remarked last summer when putting in some time with Bermuda's number one year, Kyme's "breathtaking" athletic prowess, coupled crucially with an insatiable appetite for success, would be more than enough to maintain a ranking within the top 50 for many years to come.

Stout by comparison is the gifted shot-maker, making the game at times look frighteningly easy as he glides languidly around the court, oozing talent and potential. Despite his tender years, however, questions stubbornly linger over his ability to cope with strenuous mental rigours of the game at highest level.

In the qualifying rounds of last year's Bermuda Open, while a succession of local amateurs manfully held their own against some of the world's top players, Stout was embarrassed by Englishman Ben Garner in three straightforward games ? in a display which many felt appeared inexplicably listless and lackadaisical.

Perhaps it was a question of maturity or simply an off-day ? but Stout himself has publicly admitted it was not his finest hour.

One year on, Stout looks and sounds a different person. He talks excitedly about his training with coach Shaun Moxham at his base in Antwerp, while the mumbled speech and insecure, gawky mannerisms of his teenage years are slowly being usurped by the added assurance of adulthood. His skinny, unhealthy looking body, which once appeared capable of snapping in even a stiff breeze as he stubbornly refused to eat as an athlete should, is finally beginning to fill out while he says his game, and more importantly his strength and fitness, are advancing at a pleasing rate.

So where does the pressure really lie?

Both seem to be in agreement that Kyme goes into the encounter with everything to lose, having owed his high ranking to the wild card spot he was granted at last year's Bermuda Open.

"James is in a pretty good position going into this match," Kyme said.

"If I lose, without a place in the Masters my ranking will drop about 15 or 20 places and all of a sudden I will be back at square one and all the hard work I put in over the last year or two will be undone. In a one off match like this, with so much at stake, the pressure is pretty clearly on me. James has got nothing to lose and I'm expecting him to come out all guns blazing on the night."

Kyme recently returned from an arduous six week road trip, playing in a number of tournaments across North America.

And although he admits he needed some time to recharge the batteries when he returned home, he said the experience was an enriching one and he is more than ready for his clash with Stout.

"I had a few days off after I got back and I'm feeling fine now," he said.

"The six weeks on the road was excellent because I got a lot more match-play than I do when I'm home. Even if I didn't get very far in tournaments, there were always good players around to have a hit with and play practice matches against."

"To be honest, I'm feeling pretty confident. While I realise all my eggs are in one basket for this match, as long as I don't get ill or injured I think I'm going to be alright. I believe my brand of squash is better than his right now?I'm stronger and fitter than he is and although he's got the shots, I think I'll be able to wear him down over time."

Stout, meanwhile, insisted he is feeling calm and is up for the challenge.

"All the pressure's Nick because the consequences of losing are not as bad for me as they are for him," he said.

"So it doesn't make that much difference to me. I'm feeling good within myself about my game. I've been putting in a lot of work on my fitness in preparation for this and things are definitely looking up. I know that his strength is his fitness and speed so I've got to be prepared to stay patient and dominate the centre of the court and control the game. If I let him get in front of me too often he's going to have me doing court-sprints!"

If there was ever a time for a young athlete to step up to the plate and perform this is undoubtedly it. If there was ever a way of silencing the whispers about his unpredictable temperament, it would be by pushing Kyme to the very limit of his ability in a major final before a packed house.

It remains to be seen whether the young pretender has what it takes to knock the king of his throne.