Fox Sports World?s decision not to show Manchester United?s game against Portsmouth on Saturday, nearly cost Nick Kyme his chance of playing in the biggest tournament of his life.

Bermuda?s number one was preparing to take on James Stout in the final of the Fast Forward National Championships and wanted a leisurely morning to keep his mind of the match, which the 24-year-old felt was ?over-hyped?.

With a wildcard for the second-most prestigious event on the world squash circuit on the line, the match-up between world numbers 71 and 121 was being billed as the ultimate domestic game.

Kyme wanted to relax ahead of his eventual 11-8, 8-11, 11-3, 11-6 nail-biting and, at-times, over-physical triumph but Fox wouldn?t let him.

?I think the build up for this was over the top and had been going on all week,? said Kyme, who will now take his place alongside the world?s top 31 players in the Virtual Spectator Bermuda Masters, a $120,000 event which starts on April 4.

?James had said it was the biggest match of his career and it was all anyone was talking about and I just wanted to relax. I thought I?d watch the United game, but just as the referee had finished counting the players and the match was about to start, they suddenly switched coverage to some motor racing.

?That really messed up my morning and left me even more nervous.

?I think that carried with me all day and I went into the game flat.?

Kyme, who competed in front of 600 people in last year?s Bermuda Open against Peter Nicol courtesy of a wildcard, was clear favourite for Saturday?s match, but the game was much closer than many expected.

Stout, with his clever shot-making and lanky frame, has clearly been improving during his tutelage in Belgium and was making Kyme work for everything.

Fortunately for Kyme, who has the perfect frame for athletic, frenetic squash, that was just what he wanted.

Long rallies seemed to be the order of the evening, with Kyme stretching for every Stout drop shot or clever boast, keeping the ball in play and keeping his younger opponent running.

The tension between the two players was palpable and some inconsistent refereeing ? with even more inconsistent explanations ? frustrated both players, with both rapidly losing points after tight calls went against them.

Kyme triumphed in the first game but was to be frustrated in the second, his reactions to close calls working against him and he stomped off court with the scores tied a very angry young man.

But with so much at stake, he managed to regain his composure during the break ? with a little help from his mother Denise ? and came out in the third game ready to play squash.

Despite controlling many rallies, Kyme lacked the killer touch and allowed Stout back on many occasions, but his superior athleticism and consistency helped him take the vital third game 11-3 ? although not without a conduct warning after barging into the back of Stout during one of their many close encounters.

In the final game, Kyme settled into more of a rhythm and was relaxed enough to laugh and joke his way to eventual victory.

?I didn?t play my best,? said Kyme afterwards.

?I was really flat going into it and just didn?t feel right. My legs were heavy and I just couldn?t get going.

?I?m disappointed to have lost the second game but I picked things up as we went along and James began to make more mistakes.

?Of course it?s great to get the win and now this is out the way, I can start concentrating on the Masters.?

Having already had one dabble in a large event, Kyme feels he is better prepared for the big games ahead.

?I have an idea what it is like playing those sort of games and I think I will put in a better performance this year,? added Kyme.

?I was really nervous last time, but I am feeling ready for this one.?

The Virtual Spectator Masters begin on April 4 and will see the world?s top 31 players head to the Island for the massive tournament, to be played against on an all-glass court at Bermuda High School for Girls.