Jones would invariably end up at the Southampton Princess tennis courts.

That's where he'd unwind with a few close friends like Randy Bean, sometimes playing up to four sets late into the evening.

It was a friendly rivalry that began almost three years ago and came to a tragic end on Wednesday night.

Jones died suddenly during a match at the west-end courts, falling to the ground after running toward the net while trying to retrieve a lob shot by Bean.

His passing shook Jones' close-knit family and Bermuda's tennis community.

The 36-year-old owner of two Champion Sports shops in Hamilton was declared dead at King Edward Memorial Hospital approximately one hour after collapsing.

The two stores -- on Court and Church Streets -- were closed yesterday as co-workers, family members and friends converged on Jones's Southampton residence where he lived with his mother, Eva Lawrence. The cause of death was still unknown last night, although friends said Jones had suffered from an asthmatic condition.

"He's been in good shape, he wasn't suffering from asthma at this time at all, he hasn't had an attack for a long time,'' said his mother.

Besides his involvement in tennis, Jones was a former soccer player for PHC.

"Soccer, cricket he tried them all,'' his mother said, with a cacophony of voices in the background. "I think he even tried golf at one time.'' Jones is also survived by his girlfriend, Gina Wade, an 11-year-old daughter, Tschana Jones Wade, and his sister Dierdre, who arrived from her home in Toronto yesterday. Funeral arrangements were still pending last night, but a service is being planned for early next week at St. Paul's in Paget.

"I last saw him on Tuesday afternoon,'' said Lee Edmead, an employee of both stores. "His health was excellent. We were most excited because we were waiting for a lot of new merchandise to come in. I was home doing some cleaning when I got a phone call (Wednesday night) that Chuckie had passed away.'' Bean said that he and Jones played tennis at least twice a week, making arrangements to play early on Wednesday.

"When we got to Southampton we were chatting and having a good time, like we normally do,'' said Bean, overcome by sadness.

"When we were playing he was a little quiet just before the incident. But I didn't think it was anything to be alarmed about.

"He hit a shot and I lobbed a shot back and he was coming to the net. When he put his racquet up to play the ball he fell and he just went down. As he went down I thought he tripped so I walked away and started smiling. When I turned back and saw that he was still down. That's when I panicked.'' Two quick-thinking players arriving on the scene rushed to Jones's aid and administered CPR.

Only two of the six courts were being used at the time and top junior player Jonathan Ingham, who was playing with his father, Vincent, immediately called 911.

"I'm like a stone's throw from Whaler Inn where he was playing tennis and to see his ambulance go by... and then I got the call that Osei was going to the hospital...''said his mother, her voice trailing off.

"I went to the hospital thinking he had an overcoming or something, that he would be on a respirator and things would be OK. I get (to the hospital) and they tell me he didn't make it...just like that.

"I didn't believe it, I couldn't believe it. When the doctor told me I said `you've got to be wrong'.'' Southampton pro Mark Cordeiro remembered Jones as "a fun-loving fellow who simply loved his tennis.'' OSEI JONES -- a sports fanatic