WHILE the XL Bermuda Open for proper starts on Monday, some superb tennis will be played at Coral Beach on Saturday and Sunday when overseas players — along with Bermuda’s Andy Bray — attempt to grab spots in the main event through qualifying matches.And many in Bermuda are missing out on some excellent tennis, said XL Bermuda Open tournament manager Maribeth Anderson.

“People will be able to watch the qualifying matches for free,” she said this week. “A lot of people in Bermuda have no idea how good these players are and they are all fighting hard (to get into the main draw).

Matches will start on Saturday and Sunday at the clay Coral Beach courts at 10 a.m.

And on Sunday some of the pros will hold clinics for Bermuda’s promising young players. David Lambert, head of the Bermuda Lawn Tennis Association, said: “We get about 100 youngsters at Coral Beach for clinics with the visiting pros. I will be there as well as a number of our local pros and I know we will have Sam Querrey (the XL Bermuda Open top seed) as well as Nicolas Kiefer from Germany there to conduct the clinics. There will also be a couple of other pros in the Open there to help out. The young players have a great time and learn a lot. The pros sign autographs for them and help teach and also give a talk to our young players. I know that many tell our youngsters to get as much out of your practise sessions as you can — make your time on the court count.”And Lambert said that the local young players all know who the visiting pros are. “Many can tell you where they are ranked and how they have been doing in other tournaments. These kids follow the players on the Internet. They know who is doing what and where.

“The clinics have always been very popular and it shows that the visiting pros like to give back to the game.”

Top pros to give clinics