Squash pro Nick Kyme has risen to his highest position yet in the world rankings and is preparing for the ?match of his life? next February.

Twenty-three year-old Kyme has moved up to 78 in the Professional Squash Association?s December rankings, a nine-place boost that will further push him towards the world?s elite.

Even a change of just a handful of places can make a difference to the Island?s top pro as he enters a series of tournaments across North America in the coming months.

?It is amazing how much difference it can make,? said Kyme, a second-round loser in the Saskatoon Open last month.

?It can get you into the main draw of tournaments so you avoid qualifying, or it can get you into qualifying for bigger tournaments. Every position helps and it means you can compete for more points and larger prize money.?

Kyme, frustrated at the difficulties of training in Bermuda due to the absence of challenging playing partners, spent some time in Toronto last month and intends to do the same in the New Year as he prepares to battle fellow Islander James Stout for the wildcard in next year?s Virtual Spectator Bermuda Masters ? the second most prestigious tournament on the international circuit.

He now faces an abstemious festive period as he works on his game ahead of tournaments in New York, Virginia, Vancouver and Calgary in January before his anticipated clash with Stout in the final of the national championships for a chance to do battle with the world?s top 31 two months later.

?A lot of my focus is on that game,? continued Kyme, who played perennial world number one Peter Nicol as a wildcard in this year?s Bermuda Open.

?I am not going to be eating and drinking as much as everyone else this Christmas because my focus has to be on the tournaments in the New Year and then that game against James.

?It is going to be a really important game for both our careers because we are playing for such a lofty prize.?

Next year sees a wildcard being offered for the first time in the Masters, an event that will be hosted here for the next two years ? along with the World Open in 2007 ? as part of the biggest deal in squash history.