prepare for their Federation Cup campaign in El Salvador next week.

Captain Kelly Holland said playing male opponents was the best way for her all-teenage team to get ready for the big hitters they will face in Americas Group II.

The team of Danielle Paynter, Tara Lambert, Zarah DeSilva and Danielle Downey fly to the Central American country on Sunday.

While DeSilva is at Saddlebrook school in Florida, Paynter has come home from college in Canada and is being trained by Holland along with Lambert and Downey.

"They've been doing one training session per week and the rest of the time they're playing matches,'' said Holland.

"We've got them hitting against guys, because they hit the ball a bit harder and so push the girls a bit more. The girls they will play down there hit the ball really hard, so it's a good way to prepare.'' The 16 countries competing on the red clay courts at the Maya Country Club in La Libertad will be divided into four groups of four and Bermuda will find out their group opponents when the draw is made on Monday. Opening matches will be played on Tuesday. The top nations in the four groups will go forward to play-offs for the two promotion places.

Regardless of where Bermuda finish in their group, they will play three further matches to determine their placing out of 16 -- so they will play six ties in six days in the fierce El Salvadorean heat.

"The heat is an issue,'' conceded Holland. "We think it's hot in Bermuda but it's really hot down there, where they are a lot closer to the equator.

"But I think they will get the singles matches over in the morning and then play the doubles in late afternoon, so there are no matches in the middle of the day.'' Bermuda Lawn Tennis Association president David Lambert had few worries about how the girls would cope.

"The reports we are getting suggest we are sending down a team of fit young women, who have all played on the international stage before,'' said Lambert.

"If they play up to their ability, we are expecting some good results.'' The team is unchanged from the line-up which competed in Costa Rica last year and defeated Antigua but lost to Jamaica and Peru. DeSilva, Downey and Lambert all made their Fed Cup debuts.

Holland, herself a former Fed Cup player, was careful not to pile too much weight of expectation on the youngsters' shoulders.

"How well we'll do depends on who we are drawn against, but we aim to be coming back with at least one win -- that is the standard which has been set by our Fed Cup teams in the past,'' said Holland. "And we'll be looking to do better than that if we can.'' Americas Group II: Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Jamaica, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, Trinidad & Tobago.

The Bermuda Lawn Tennis Association Winter League season concludes this weekend with the pairs knockout competition at the Tennis Stadium.

More than 30 pairs are expected to participate, with a prize presentation and barbecue to follow at around 3.00 p.m.

The 27-year-old league is the longest running BLTA programme and this season comprised 25 teams with 400 registered players competing in four divisions.

Danielle Paynter: returned from college in Canada to round off her preaparations for next week's Davis Cup matches in El Salvador.