speaking.

The three members of Bermuda's Davis Cup team were granted wild card entries in the qualifying round of the Bermuda XL Open on the weekend and all took it to mean different things.

Mallory used his appearance to nearly pull off a huge upset on Saturday morning against American David Caldwell.

Caldwell, ranked number 256 in the world, needed everything he had to pull out a victory. While Evans and Way won a total of four games between them, Mallory lost his first set 3-6 and extended Caldwell to the limit in the second in losing a 7-6 tie-breaker.

Mallory was blitzed 7-0 in the tie-break, no thanks to a key double-fault in the blustery conditions.

Evans, meanwhile, was erased 6-2, 6-0 by Bill Behrens, a Cinderella story here last year, while Way lost 6-0, 6-2 to Doyle. Behrens and Caldwell went on to lose their next matches but Way took consolation in the fact Doyle advanced to the main field of 32.

Way was loudly berating himself during the match for what he called "tentative'' play. "I started out tight and really nervous,'' he said. "I just wanted to play as well as I could.'' But he also viewed the match as important in terms of Davis Cup preparations.

"These guys are better than the guys we'll be playing,'' said Way.

"I'm generally pleased with the way I'm playing,'' he said. "By that time (Davis Cup), I'll be ready to go.'' Way was blown out in the first set but had a chance to take a 2-1 lead early in the second before Doyle somehow reached Way's sure-fire winning drop shot for a winner. Way promptly double-faulted to lose the game -- as well as the next four. A fine cross-court bakchand gave Way a win in the seventh game but he again had no answer for Doyle's serve in the eighth, hitting long on the return to seal his fate.

"I defintely had trouble with his serve,'' said Way.

Evans served up wins in his first and third games against Behrens but was quickly shut out. How did he feel about his showing? We're not sure: He declined two separate interview requests.

Evans and Way made up a doubles team that also got a wild card entry into the qualifier. And Behrens once again had a hand in a loss, as he and David Dilucia -- ranked number 315 by the ATP -- disposed of the Bermudians 6-1, 6-1.

ISLAND DREAMING -- Bermuda's Ricky Mallory (left) extended David Caldwell to a second set tie-breaker before losing while Donald Evans (right) lost 6-2, 6-0 to Bill Behrens during Saturday's qualifying round of the XL Bermuda Open. The other Bermudian, Michael Way, also lost.