first prize for wining the XL Bermuda Open.

Stoltenberg turns 27 on Friday -- which happens to be the same day he is expected to named top seed for next week's ATP Challenger event at Coral Beach and Tennis Club.

Based on rankings released by the ATP yesterday, the 6-foot-1 Australian will head Friday's 32-man draw when singles action begins in earnest come Monday.

Once rated as high as 19th (in October, 1994), Stoltenberg has moved up to 40th spot -- the highest position among the entrants in the $125,000 event.

Zimbabwe's Byron Black, who is 24th on the ATP money list with $139,000 in earnings this year, figures to be the number two seed, after climbing up to the 46th spot in the computer rankings.

Ten players in the field have cracked the double-digit barrier according to this week's rankings.

After Black come two more Aussies: Sandon Stolle, who has moved up to 67th after a strong performance at the Lipton Championships in Key Biscayne, Florida, last week, and Scott Draper, a 22-year-old now at a career-high 73rd in the computer.

They're followed by number 79 Vincent Spadea, one of two Americans in the field, followed by Patrik Fredriksson (88), Armenia's Sargis Sargisian (89) and Dennis Van Scheppingen, a Dutchman coming in at 93rd.

But as tournament manager Stuart Smith says, "Any one of these guys can win it,'' pointing to a dozen South Americans who could find Coral Beach's Har-Tru clay to their liking.

This includes Javier Frana and Mariano Zabaleta, a pair of Argentinians who advanced to the semi-finals here a year ago.

Zabaleta, only 19, ranked 98th while Frana checks in at number 100 in the world.

Working in Stoltenberg's favour: He was 5-0 in Challenger matches a year, knows Coral Beach and plays consistently on all surfaces.

The doubles draw will see 16 teams entered and there won't be much doubt who'll be seeded number one: Black and part-time Bermuda resident Grant Connell, who teamed up a year ago to form one of the tour's top partnerships.

ATP rankings, Page 12 CLAY PIGEONS -- Mariano Zabaleta is ranked number 100 in the world -- but could be number one at next week's XL Bermuda Open when you factor in the clay court at Coral Beach Club.

OPEN PROFILES Third in a series of profiles of players in the $125,000 XL Bermuda Open, April 7-13: GRANT CONNELL Born: November 17, 1965 Residence: Southampton, Bermuda Plays: Left-handed Ht: 6-2 Wt: 185 pounds Turned pro: 1986 1996 prize money: $454,697 Highest ranking: 67 (June 17, 1991) Grand Slam record: 6-16 The 32-year-old Canadian is now a part-time Bermuda resident -- but has never played in the XL ... Almost exclusively playing doubles these days -- he'll be teaming with Byron Black -- Connell will nonetheless compete in singles here. He and Black are among the top teams in the world (four times finalists and four times semi-finalists in Grand Slams) ... Former All-American at Texas A&M University, has 20-9 career record (8-3 in singles) for Canada in Davis Cup.

JASON STOLTENBERG Born: April 4, 1970 Residence: Newcastle, Australia Plays: Right-handed Ht: 6-1 Wt: 177 pounds Turned pro: 1987 1996 prize money: $547,722 Highest ranking: 19 (October, 1994) Grand Slam record: 34-33 Unbeaten (5-0) in ATP Challenger events last year ... Leaped into prominence by defeating Goran Ivanisevic in Wimbledon quarter-finals last year ...

Consistent on all surfaces but seems to like the dirt (13-5 last year, including third ATP title at Coral Springs last May) ... Missed nearly five months with shoulder injury in 1992 ... Third-ranked Aussie a year ago and named to Olympic team. 6-4 Davis Cup record.

Jason Stoltenberg