It's been 13 years since Mats Wilander strode into history with his first Grand Slam title -- he captured three of them in 1988. And a few days after winning the US Open that year he opted for a short holiday in Bermuda instead of going to the Olympics.

Two weeks from today the Swedish native returns to the Island for a second visit -- this time on a business trip -- joining an all-star line-up at the $303,000 XL Bermuda Open at Coral Beach and Tennis Club.

Asked if he'll feel any pressure because the last time a major tournament was held in Bermuda fellow Swede Mikael Pernfors won the singles title, Wilander offered a loud laugh before saying: "No, not really, but it should be great to be back again.'' "What I remember most is the low-key people and how it seemed like tourism hadn't destroyed the (country) as much as other islands,'' he said in an accent that is equal parts American and Swedish, after a workout in Houston yesterday. "People are more Western there than if you go to other islands in the Caribbean.'' The last time Wilander, 30, was here he was the number one player in the world. Nowadays he's ranked at 97, which isn't so bad considering he's among the pro tour's senior citizens.

While tennis fans won't see the same Wilander who tromped over the tennis planet by winning the Australian, French and US Opens in '88 they will see a player with a renewed zest for the game and suddenly making a big impact again.

Sidelined by knee surgery and weary of travelling, Wilander left tennis in 1991. He concentrated on his golf game and guitar before returning to the tour full-time last year.

He used to practise four hours a day, now it's less than half of that.

Wilander has jumped 229 rankings points since his comeback and he's coming off his best tournament in a long time after reaching the quarter-finals of the Lipton Championships.

It was the biggest stir he's made since reaching the quarter-finals (Atlanta) and semi-finals (Pinehurst) a year ago, and both times he lost to Todd Martin, who'll be the top seed at the Open in a line-up which also features Jason Stoltenberg, Brett Steven and Patrick McEnroe.

He's anxious to renew acquaintances with Martin (late last year he beat the American at Washington and Indianapolis) and because the Open is on clay he believes that will give him a clear advantage.

"Players like Stoltenberg, Steven, McEnroe and Martin are great players, but none of them are real clay courters so I think this is why I have a decent chance in Bermuda,'' he said. "The clay court players, the real specialists are basically in Europe right now and that's one of the reasons why I like to play on the American clay court tour. I'm a little more comfortable against those kinds of players on clay. But it's a great field for sure.'' It wasn't until his victory over Daniel Vacek in the first round of the Rotterdam indoor tournament in late February that Wilander really began to feel like he belonged on the pro tour again.

His singles record so far in 1995 is six wins and four losses.

"I'm getting used to being on the court a lot more and used to playing close matches,'' he said. "I think it's mainly in yourself, if you do something as much as I used to, playing tennis, then not do it for two or three years, well, it's impossible to get back to where you left off. Unless, that is, you're Michael Jordan.'' Although content with his results at the Lipton last week Wilander doesn't take wins and losses as seriously as he used to.

"I have had enough wins in my career to not really have to win to enjoy it,'' said Wilander, who became eligible for the Over-30 division last August.

"It's great to feel like you are in control of something that you are doing.

Doing something that near to perfection is a feeling impossible to describe, and I think it is very hard to get that feeling in any other part of life.'' "I mean, I think one of the goals is to keep winning but I realise there's no chance of winning unless I'm enjoying it.'' MATS WILANDER -- "It should be great to be back.''