Davis Cup duo Ryan Swan and Jovan Whitter are the future of Bermudian tennis.

That is the view of Bermuda Lawn Tennis Association life vice-president Allan Simmons after witnessing the pair make it through a three-man qualifying competition at the Tennis Stadium over the weekend.

Swan, Whitter and Devaunne Ratteray were vying for the two remaining places in the team to travel to St. Vincent in April for the Americas Zone Group Four tournament.

James Collieson and Jenson Bascome were already part of a new-look squad to face the likes of Antigua, Barbuda, the Eastern Organisation of Caribbean States, the US Virgin Islands, Barbados, Bolivia and St. Lucia.

Swan beat Ratteray 6-2, 6-0 on Friday in the round-robin qualifier event but the game between Whitter and Ratteray was hit by Saturday's rain.

"Whitter won the first set 6-1 and he was leading 1-0 in the second set," said Simmons. "They were to finish that this morning (Sunday), but Ratteray had some problems with his wrist and he wasn't able to finish and forfeited the match through injury."

In the final match Swan beat Whitter 5-7, 6-4, 6-4.

Simmons said both Swan and Whitter played well and would be good additions to the squad.

"They are both capable of very good tennis," he said. "They are maybe not quite at the level that Bascome and Collieson are but I think they will be a good addition and it will help us to build.

"You are down there in pretty fast company, you have tough matches every day. They will see the commitment that these guys have and they have to be prepared to match that."

Simmons said the BLTA had taken the decision to "build for the future" in selecting the team and as a result older players Donald Evans and Michael Way were left out.

"We originally selected three players from the old team - Jenson, James and Ricky Mallory," said Simmons. "And we were going to send one junior and gradually phase them into the team. But Ricky was unable to go and we then had to use two of the younger players, those being Whitter and Swan."

The coach and team captain of Bermuda's squad is Steve Bean and all four players will now step up their training in readiness for the forthcoming tournament.

"He will set out a training programme for them between now and the time they leave to go to St. Vincent," Simmons said.

Ratteray, meanwhile, will be on standby should any of the team not make it through injury or other circumstances.