Stuck in Saskatoon, knocked out in the first round of a tournament offering total prize money that some of his friend?s can make in a month just in overtime, all Nick Kyme could find to write about on his personal website was the harsh, inclement weather.

Such can be the life of a professional squash player, struggling outside the world?s top 50 and making decisions on which events to play in based on an airfare/prize money equation.

Just a couple of months ago the drudgery of such an existence ? and some nagging back problems ? left the Island?s perennial number one (in his own words) ?struggling mentality?.

And then along came the greatest month of Kyme?s squash life.

Lunching at the same table as the fastest man in the world, standing within a few yards of the British Prime Minister and within a hundred yards of the Queen of England and walking out ? in his natty little Bermuda shorts ? in front of 80,000 people at a lavish multi-million dollar opening ceremony, Melbourne made him whole again.

Being a part of the Commonwealth Games was, for the then ailing and muddled Kyme, a vital and perfectly-timed injection of confidence, motivation, energy, passion and excitement.

?I remembered again why I am playing sport,? said the 25-year-old supreme athlete after stepping off the plane with his smiling team-mates from the long flight earlier this week.

?All the hours, all the training and all the hard work ? not to mention visiting some pretty dull places ? becomes worthwhile when you are involved in an event like that.

?It was just incredible. Everywhere you looked there were the bodies of supreme athletes, you were watching people at the peak of human performance collecting medals for what they do.

?It all began to make sense again for me. This is what I do it all for and I am feeling great again and excited about the sport.

?This is the lifestyle I chose for myself and I am happy with it again now.?

As well as becoming deliriously happy ? happier than those in the media who constantly interview him ever remember him being ? he is also feeling good about his squash, really good.

And that just happens to be exactly the sort of feeling he needs given he is only days away from stepping out in front of a cacophony of nationalist-pride induced noise to take on one of the greatest players on the squash circuit in the second biggest tournament on the planet.

In four days, the number one from an Island of 62,000 people is to take on a man who has been number one in the world in an event offering more prize money than the Bermudian?s entire career earnings.

?I am really enthused about it,? Kyme continued from his new ?happy place? state of mind.

?It?s going to be incredible. This will be my third time playing someone of his calibre on this glass court at home and I can?t wait.

?The reception I have had the past two years has been fantastic and I feel in a position to go out there and play the kind of squash that people want to see.?

In Melbourne, once Kyme had brushed aside his Malawian opponent, he earned the right to take on Johnny White, a man right up there on a par with Palmer and one of the most revered ? and certainly hardest hitters ? the sport of squash has ever seen.

Although Kyme succumbed, a 7-3 lead he built up in the opening game was achieved by playing some his best squash ?for years? and there was no being wiped off the court for this proud player, despite the huge gulf in rankings.

?That was a big game for me,? continued Kyme, who has had the pleasure of taking on greats Peter Nicol and Thierry Lincou in the grand BHS venue over the two previous years.

?I was so pleased with the way I played and I am looking forward to taking that sort of form with me into the game against David.

?He is an incredible player but I know I am playing well enough to show the strength of Bermuda squash in this game.?

Maybe venues like Saskatoon are still going to be out there, but with the Masters allowing Kyme another opportunity to walk with giants, it is only a matter of time before his growth in stature puts him inside his stated goal of the world?s top 50.