The first tennis stars will arrive tomorrow ahead of the start of next week?s XL Bermuda Open.

With Bermuda one of the favoured destinations on the Challenger Tour, a number of players will be bringing wives and families for the popular event at Coral Beach, hence their early arrival.

Qualifying for the $100,000 event begins on Saturday with the main draw starting on Monday.

A significant portion of the players competing next week are currently battling it out in the US Men?s Clay Court Championships in Houston with players tending to then jet straight into Bermuda after being knocked out of the $380,000 event.

Top seed for the XL, Paul Goldstein, is seeded seventh in Texas while 2004 winner here Luis Horna is seeded sixth and the tournament?s first round also features Bermuda-bound Mardy Fish and Vince Spadea.

In other news, Harel Levy, who reached the 2003 semi-finals here after battling through the qualifying rounds, is again returning to try and take the long route to the $14,400 first prize.

Other qualifiers typically fail to register in advance instead just pitching up ahead of the 9 p.m. deadline on Friday.

Wildcards for the main draw this year include rising star Scoville Jenkins and former Grand Slam finalist Mark Philippoussis, while local wildcards Andy Bray and James Collieson will compete in the qualifying singles and hope to find a place in the qualifying doubles draw.

Ticket sales for the annual event on the green clay of Coral Beach are ?going very well? according to organisers.