Stars of the tennis court and silver screen are coming to Bermuda to take part in a gala summer tournament at Elbow Beach Hotel.

With four legendary names of tennis and six undisclosed movie celebrities, the first annual Elbow Beach Legends Tournament promises some first rate competition with a dash of stellar entertainment.

Pioneers of professional tennis Ilie Nastase, Tom Gorman, John Lloyd and Ken Rosewall form the vanguard of this summer's elite playing and coaching force.

The two-day event will mark the finale of Elbow Beach Hotel's week of celebrations and activities to commemorate the hotel's 90th anniversary and grand re-opening in the week of September 14 to 19.

But organiser David Lambert told The Royal Gazette the tournament was more than just an opportunity for locals to enjoy top quality tennis.

"It's a fund raiser for the Bermuda Lawn Tennis Association Junior Development Fund,'' he said.

And a dozen students from every school on the Island have been invited to a morning workshop conducted by the tennis pros on September 18.

Some 300 young players are expected to take advantage of the rare opportunity which will be followed by an address by the Premier to acknowledge many of the local athletes who have worked to promote tennis on the Island, Lambert explained.

A round robin tournament will then take place with sponsors, celebrities and the tennis champs.

And then the veterans will take to centre court for exhibition games to give spectators a taste of how tennis -- real tennis -- should be played.

The credentials of this year's champion quartet reflect impressive and successful careers.

Tennis Hall of Famer Ilie Nastase has won both the French and US Open, has the second highest number of wins in the Davis Cup, and has the most year-ending Masters crowns.

In doubles, Nastase was the 1970 French Open champion with Ion Tiriac and won the 1975 US Open doubles title with Jimmy Connors. At Wimbledon he scored mixed doubles victories with Rosie Casals in 1970 and 1972.

The Romanian visited Bermuda back in the late 1970s when he played against Jimmy Connors at the Southampton Princess courts.

Ken Rosewall was victorious in singles at four Australian Opens, two French Opens, and two US Opens and has an equally impressive doubles record.

At doubles in Wimbledon, the French Open, and the US Open he achieved victory honours twice, and claimed Australian Open honours three times.

England's national hero John Lloyd was his country's top ranked tennis player five times.

He played Davis Cup for England for 11 years, acquired three Grand Slam mixed doubles titles, and continues to compete on the Nuveen Champions Tour and coach the British Davis Cup team.

In his 15-year career, Tom Gorman was credited with numerous upset victories on his way to a former world ranking of ten.

He ousted top seed Rod Laver at Wimbledon, fought off a match point to eliminate Jimmy Connors at Forest Hills, and defeated two-time French champ Jan Kodes at Roland Garros.

The second day of September's tournament will offer a full day of tennis viewing with morning round robin matches followed by another series of exhibition matches.

And Lambert said planning was underway to make next year bigger and better than the first.

"We have already started to talk about next year,'' said Lambert.

"We're hoping to have six men and six women, and singles and double matches.'' "And instead of a two-day, we'll have a five-day event,'' he added.

Negotiations for big name celebrities Rosie Casals, Martina Navratilova, Billie-Jean King, Virginia Wade and Tracy Austin are already taking place, added Lambert.

ILIE NASTASE -- returning to Bermuda next month.