The XL Bermuda Open begins today with the qualifying rounds, but when the tournament proper starts on Monday it should be one of the most exciting in years.

With a host of top ATP players making the trip in preparation for the French Open, there is a lot more at stake than just the $100,000 prizemoney. Ranking points are just as important, as is the chance to take the next step along the career ladder.

In the past the likes of Andy Roddick and James Blake have played here at the beginning of their young careers, and again this week there will be two young Americans, John Isner and Donald Young, who will be well worth watching.

Isner and Young are considered to be among the brightest young talents on the circuit, and come into the XL Open in good form.

Although both played in this week's US Clay Court Championships in Houston with varying degrees of success, they still feel confident about their games as a whole.

Isner lost in the first round to the Argentinian Sergio Roitman, who is also in the main draw for next week's event at Coral Beach.

Donald Young faired slightly better, beating the 2006 XL Open Champion Fernando Vicente in the first round before losing to Oscar Hernandez in the second. He too may get a quick chance at revenge with Hernandez also heading to Bermuda.

Despite their differening fortunes, both are considered to be exciting talents for the future, and with the French Open just around the corner, the Open provides them with some much need experience on a clay court.

"Obviously I'm expecting to have a good week, but every player is like that when they go into a tournament," said Isner. "I haven't really played that much on clay, but I'm playing well, and I suppose half the battle is the confidence thing.

"Prior to the tournament thist week (in Houston), I hadn't played on clay for five years, but I've been practising on it, and feel quite happy with my game. It's not that bad for me.

"I felt quite good about the way I played and I had chances to close it out, so I'm quite confident.

"Some players will try and avoid it, and stay away from the clay court tournaments, but I'm coming to Bermuda because I want to have a crack at the French Open.

"I don't expect to do that well at the French Open. Traditionally, at least recently, Americans haven't done too well in Paris. So I'm not putting too much pressure on myself, and at the moment I feel I can do well, but will do better at places like Wimbledon and the US Open."

Isner has every reason to be confident about the week ahead. In the past he has beaten the likes of Tim Henman, and took a set off Roger Federer at last year's US Open.

And, at 6'7" his kick serve should give opponents plenty to deal with on a surface that has a tendancy to bounce more than most.

"I like to play an attacking style where I get into the net quickly, and that's even more crucial on clay. It's better for me to play short points, I don't want to be dragged into a baseline rally with these guys. I want to be coming into the net and putting pressure on them."

Young is in the happy position of having already qualified for the French Open, and can concentrate on honing his skills in the tournaments that come before. Not that he also hasn't set his sights on winning at Coral Beach.

"My goal is obviosuly to win the tournament, I've picked up my first clay court win, and I feel that I'm playing well, and feel good about my game.

"This is a big tournament for me. It's a big part of the Challenger clay court season. It's not just the prizemoney that's at stake, but the ranking points as well. I've already made the cut for the French Open, so I'm in the main draw, and tournaments like this are ideal as warm-up matches.

"There aren't that many red clay courts in America, it's all green clay. Some of the guys that beat me on clay, I'd beat on a hardcourt. I think that if we took the times and effort to play more on red clay then we could be more competitive, just like the Europeans are becoming on hard courts.

"This is the first time that I have been to this tournament, but I'm looking forward to it, and am expecting to do well this week."

As the preparation for the Bermuda Open continues on the courts of the Coral Beach and Tennis Club, Tournament Director Alec Anderson has allocated his fourth wild card into the main draw.

Ernests Gulbism, currently ranked 85 in the world, will make his first trip to Bermuda to compete in the tournament.

At the young age of 19, Gulbism's ranking has been as high as 46 in October of 2007, when he reached the quarter-finals in Las Vegas.