Bermuda Open, the main event on the local squash calendar.

World number four Brett Martin of Australia and Pakistan's Zarak Khan, ranked 12, were confirmed as participants in the April 7-11 show by tournament director Christine Barnes.

Martin is a three-time winner of the tournament and has become a popular figure among local residents with his fluid style. He's regarded as the best `touch' player on the world circuit.

Martin has been ranked as high as second and wrote his own chapter in squash history when he won the 1993 Mahindra International Challenge in Bombay -- the first major event to be held in India and first anywhere to be played in the open air.

It is almost impossible to imagine the Open without Martin, whose presence at every tournament since 1989 has helped greatly in its growth from just another competition to a top class event, one which many have made a regular part of their schedule.

A regular visitor to Bermuda, the 32-year-old has enhanced his popularity by putting on numerous exhibitions, including those pitting him against younger brother Rodney, himself a former world champion.

Last year, however, did not prove nearly as fruitful as the previous three for Martin as he was displaced as champion, losing a 3-2 heart-breaker to eventual champion Paul Gregory of England in the semi-finals.

After dropping the first game, Martin appeared on his way, winning the next two comfortably, but uncharacteristically fell apart, losing the final two games.

Zarak, the then world number eight, similarly bowed out at the semi-final stage last year, as he was ousted by another Englishman Del Harris.

This time he enters having slipped to 12th in the world, but is still expected to mount a serious challenge to Gregory if the latter decides on a return.

A roller coaster ride would best describe Zarak's career, one that has seen the Pakistani go from 110 at the beginning of 1993 to his highest position of eighth at the end of the same year.

He played for Pakistan in the 1989 World Championships and reached number nine, but then suffered a serious knee injury which put him out of squash for over a year.

Fitted with a brace and making a comeback, Zarak was sidelined again after being handed a 12-month disciplinary suspension and missed the whole of 1992.

The following year saw him recalled to the national team and he played a key role in helping Pakistan regain the World Team Championship from Australia.

Meanwhile, Barnes has announced that the qualifying competition to supply additional entrants to compete against 16 invited seeds is being scrapped.

But a wild card entry has been offered to local professional Julian Rose.

Rose, once the club professional at the Devonshire courts, will also act as tournament referee.

Brett Martin