Two players, hoping to qualify this weekend for the main draw in the XL Bermuda Open, have just arrived at the airport. Unannounced. Then Gianlucca Pozzi, one of the top Italian players, checks in. He's been delayed overnight in Atlanta. Later Sandon Stolle, the third seed, phones to check on the weather.

In the cramped main office of the $125,000 event, computer monitors glare, fax machines hum, and, on this day, Telco workmen hastily install public phone lines.

Above them, comes the sound of footsteps, followed by boxes being dragged along the floor. That would be the bottled water -- 50 cases of Evian -- and sports drinks -- 30 cases of Powerade -- arriving.

Bundles of programmes and 50 cases of Wilson tennis balls are stacked neatly in the corner.

One hundred yards below, alongside the courts where 32 of the world's best tennis players begin play on Monday, portable bleachers, lowered by crane on Wednesday night, are being bolted down.

Up the stone steps, groundsman Joseph Viera attaches windscreens to the fences on the practice courts and Coral Beach professional Derek Singleton inspects the precious clay surface.

Throughout the sprawling South Shore property, finishing touches are being put on one of the Island's largest sporting events. Over here, a catering tent is raised. Over there, the designated parking area is roped off. Inside, the players' lounge gets a once over.

Like a colony of ants -- ants carrying walkie-talkies -- 16 volunteers and various Coral Beach staff scramble to complete their appointed rounds. They have 48 more hours.

In total, some 400 volunteers -- including drivers, billets, ushers, ticket takers and ball kids -- make the tournament work. "Without them, it would be impossible,'' said Maribeth Anderson, one of two Open managers.

This is the tournament's fourth year under the ATP umbrella, downgraded to a Challenger event but just as important to players and organisers.

"Bermuda is lucky to even have something of this magnitude,'' said Stuart Smith, another tournament manager. "We're doing something few other countries could do.'' And doing it quite well, apparently.

The Open does not have trouble getting players and -- with the exception of top seed Jason Stoltenberg, the field was firmed up two months ago. Defending champion MaliVai Washington, despite his sudden fame, was anxious to return, and would have, were it not for a change in dates that forced him to honour a commitment to a tournament in New Delhi.

Hospitality is only a part of it, of course. This being the start of the clay court season, Bermuda is a natural choice for players wanting to get their feet dirty in preparation for the French Open.

Unknown to all but a handful of organisers, the XL Bermuda Open is actually a year-round job.

"The day after last year's tournament ended,'' Anderson said when asked when preparations began.

The task can be daunting, when you factor in a small Island catering to the logistics of not only players accustomed to star treatment, but fans, international television folks and ATP officials. This means arranging everything from hotel reservations at Elbow Beach to a golf tournament at Riddell's Bay.

"I was surprised (at what goes into it),'' said Smith, working the tournament for the first time. "And I keep getting more surprised at all little things that add up.'' "There are always challenges that come up,'' said Anderson. "No matter how prepared you are, you know things will happen that aren't expected.'' Singleton and Viera know all about challenges: They're in charge of the courts, in particular the three that will see the main draw matches.

The first thing you notice is the clay: Hard, green clay.

The technical name for it is Har-Tru, a 60-year-old US recipe that calls for bags of powder, water and special binding agents to come up with a surface players love because of its ease on the knees and back.

"There's an art in playing clay,'' said Singleton. "You watch some of the South Americans, you see they'll actually glide over it. It's a beautiful surface to play on.'' It is also slow, although the Coral Beach clay, Singleton says, is not as slow as the red stuff at the French Open.

Clay is also a high maintenance surface. At Coral Beach, it's one and three quarters of an inch thick, packed down on a nine-inch stone base. At least once a day it has to be watered. Three times a day it has to be rolled. And heaven help them if you get three straight days of rain.

"We're sort of in the hands of the Gods in some cases,'' said Singleton.

Every year, a ton of top dressing has to be added to each court. The lines are made of tape, replaced every year and fixed with 2,000 21 -inch nails per court.

Viera, Singleton says, is the equivalent of a golf course superintendent.

"He's mastered the art of weather conditions,'' he said.

The courts have been roped off for three days -- and will remain that way until this weekend's qualifying matches.

But Singleton says just because the world's top pros are coming in, doesn't mean the courts are getting special attention. "It's the same thing we do every day for everybody,'' he said.

Anderson notes how the high-class tennis is almost secondary. The sport itself it what it's all about.

The Bermuda Tennis Foundation, a charitable organisation, actually started the tournament and remains its owner. Their goal: "To try and raise the awareness of tennis in Bermuda,'' said Anderson.

Tickets are given away to some 300 students from 20 schools for each day of the tournament.

"If we can get them out watching, they might decide to pick up a racquet,'' said Smith.

Player profiles -- Page 13 SUPREME COURT -- Defending champion MaliVai Washington wanted to play in this year's Bermuda Open but had a previous commitment. However, 10 of the world's top 100 players are still on their way.