AMERICAN Ronda Crystal loves Bermuda and its people so much that she has decided to give around $1 million to an island tennis charity.

The 51-year-old Miss Crystal, who has holidayed in Bermuda for 24 successive years, will give most of her astonishing donation in the form of a legacy.

But the beneficiary, the Bermuda Tennis Development Foundation, now in the process of being formed, is also likely to receive some of Miss Crystal's money well before her death.

Lawyers will be advising Miss Crystal on the most tax-efficient ways to donate and she will shortly be setting up a trust.

The computer database designer from Boston who left the island this week after an 11-day stay said her love of Bermuda and the many friendships she has struck here were the main reasons for her decision.

Miss Crystal said: “Everybody wants to think that their life has meant something and that something good has happened because they have had a life.

“I know for sure that this will mean something good has come of my life. I'm not married and I have no kids or nieces and nephews. And when you don't have kids you have to think about what to do with your legacy.

“I could have left it to my cousin's kids, but this will be something more permanent. There should be enough that they can get a reasonable income from the interest, enough for them not to need to touch the principal.”

She said the total amount was a “seven-figure sum”.

David Lambert, who will step down from his post as president of Bermuda Lawn Tennis Association next week, is the founder of the planned new charity and a long-standing friend of the Crystal family.

Now director of tennis at the Elbow Beach Hotel, Mr. Lambert was a waiter who served Miss Crystal at the Sonesta Beach Hotel when she first visited the island in 1977.

Miss Crystal said her family's friendship with Mr. Lambert since then was based on tennis and she recalled her first trip to the island.

“My father Daniel was a good tennis player and when we asked the hotel to recommend someone for him to play with, they suggested David, who was our waiter.

“They played every year, but my father never managed to beat David. I think his biggest regret was that he could not get to play David on an indoor court in Boston where he wouldn't have all that wind to deal with. It was a great friendship.”

Daniel Crystal passed away in 1993.

“We've made many great friends here over the years,” added Miss Crystal. “People have been wonderful and invited us into their homes. We've been coming here 24 years, so we don't come for the sightseeing any more, we come for the friends. It's just such a wonderful place.

“We like the sense of community you have here, there's nothing like it in the States.”

Ironically, Miss Crystal has spent little time on court herself, though she could see the value of the game to young people. “I don't play tennis,” she said. “I'm not even sure which end of the racket to hold!”

Miss Crystal said she made up her mind a year ago to leave her money to Bermuda tennis development and with the formation of the charity her donations will start helping promising young players soon.

When Miss Crystal told Mr. Lambert of the scale of her donation, he was both amazed and moved.

“She first mentioned it when she was here last Christmas and I thought she was talking about $2,000,” said Mr. Lambert.

“When I asked her if it was a couple of thousand she wanted to give, she said, ‘No, it's much more than that'. I asked if it was $100,000 and she said again, ‘It's much more than that'.

“I had mixed emotions. Of course, I was really excited that so much money would be coming into tennis. But there were some sentimental feelings as well. Dan and I were very close.

“Every Christmas since the family started coming to Bermuda, we got together and played. And it was not just me. A lot of the top players like Earl Leader and Sam Maybury would get together and play a round-robin and Dan would join in. He was a very good player.

“A big part of this is about Rona's father's ties with Bermuda.”

Mr. Lambert said the money would help young Bermudian tennis players to fulfil their potential, gain scholarships and give the island a pool of talent from which to draw players for the national teams playing in the men's Davis Cup and the women's Federation Cup.

“We have an abundance of tennis talent, but not every talented junior player can afford the amount of coaching they require,” said Mr. Lambert.

“Most of the top coaches on the island charge about $70 an hour and a coach can only afford to give so much free time.”

With opponents capable of giving top players a hard match in short supply on the island, playing abroad was the only way for youngsters to make the next step up, he added.

“Overseas exposure is also important and expensive,” said Mr. Lambert. “You can't get them to the Caribbean for $100, unfortunately.”

Bermuda Tennis Development Foundation would work closely with the sport's national governing body, the BLTA, said Mr. Lambert.

“The only recipients of these monies will be juniors in good standing with the BLTA, who will have to be active in local tournaments and have good grades in school.

“Those going overseas will have to be of an international standard, capable of representing Bermuda. We would like to see more kids in schools and colleges where they can go to the classroom in the morning and the tennis court in the afternoon.”

The foundation will have a board of directors to administrate and to select worthy beneficiaries. Mr. Lambert said he had been in talks with his lawyers this week on how to set it up.