Way's penchant for winning tournaments earned him accolades across the Island last year. His voracious appetite for victories could have earned him a lifetime membership in a Jenny Craig programme.

Most of all, however, the five singles titles out of six major events Way competed in landed him one of four coveted spots on Bermuda's Davis Cup team, which leaves on Monday for the Dominican Republic.

The four-man team of Way, his brother Billy, Donald Evans and Steve Bean make history two days later when the Island play in their first-ever Davis Cup match against Eastern Caribbean.

"The Davis Cup is such a big event, it's all over the world,'' an enthusiastic team captain Allan Simmons said yesterday. "It's going to be a very good feeling and something I've dreamed about. It's great that it's finally here.'' Wednesday's match represents the culmination of months of hard work for everyone associated with the team and Way, once beefy but now trimmed down to 175 pounds, is believed to be in his best shape ever.

"He's always had a bit of a fitness problem and I think right now he's in the best condition I've ever seen him,'' said Simmons.

After a two-year absence, Way returned to the local tennis scene in 1994 determined to become the number one singles player again.

Not surprisingly, Mike Curry, a training partner for Way and Bermuda Lawn Tennis Association rankings official, said that Way will be number one when the 1994 rankings are released next week.

Early last year Way declared: "I guess a few people have probably forgotten how, if I'm really, really on, how I can play. I want to show them how if I'm playing that way I don't think there's anyone who can beat me.'' Six months into the year Way had neatly sewn up three titles -- All Bermuda Tennis Club, Heineken Bermuda Open and Pomander Gate -- and two of them against arch-rival Ricky Mallory. He didn't drop a set set in any of the three finals.

Only Gregg Frigerio was able to beat him at Grotto Bay in a hard-fought three-set battle, but Way bounced back from that to beat Evans twice, first in a bizarre exhibition at the Tennis Stadium last September and then at the Coral Beach championships in November.

It was there -- on his home turf -- that Way roared back from a first set loss (3-6) to win the last two by identical 6-4 scores.

If there was one set that could be summed up as the defining moment for him of 1994 it was the second set in the final match of the year against Evans.

It's the way the five-foot-10 righthander will have to play if Bermuda hope to win any matches in Santo Domingo next week.

"I'd lost the first set and (Donald) was looking pretty strong,'' recalled Way. "And I changed my game around a little bit and kind of just fought it out. When someone is playing really well you can't just get down. You have to try to think of other ways to beat him instead of just folding. Hopefully that's the way I'm playing right now.'' Way has been playing tennis since he was seven, a product of one of Bermuda's proudest tennis clans.

He plans to spend the next three days sharpening his game, but hopes two factors -- the Caribbean heat and lack of tournament play -- don't conspire to form a roadblock for him in the Caribbean.

"I'm still working on my game... I just want to be peaking at the right time,'' said Way, 29, who won't be allowed to wear the teal adidas cap which seemed to act as good luck charm for him last year. But the official team uniform -- a white shirt with "Bermuda Davis Cup 1995'' emblazoned on it -- suits him just fine.

"I'm proud of this,'' he said. "It's a good feeling playing for your country. It feels like the hard work has paid off. Not too many people get to play in the Davis Cup and we'll always be the first ones.'' Later he said: "There's always pressure and you want to do well. I haven't played in a tournament in a while so I haven't really played any matches lately.'' Simmons has watched Way make steady progress during Cup training since December.

"I think his strokeplaying, his ability to pull off unusual strokes from unusual positions is the key,'' said Simmons. "You can run him in the corner and you think you won the point and he will go and hit a winner from there.

He's got a good tennis mind.'' Canadian coach Giulio Morelli, who has prepared Davis Cup members like Grant Connell and who has spent the past week working with Way, agreed.

"He has quite a good amount of natural skill, very good court sense and a very good touch,'' said Morelli. "I'd like to see him a little bit faster, but he's got a strong competitive spirit. He's tough mentally.'' As far as the local scene is concerned it's hard to know how Way will build on last year's extraordinary success. Even he admitted one of the reasons last year was so enjoyable for him was that he was able to get the game out of his system the previous two years.

"It would be nice to win something internationally overseas, that would be a fitting way to continue it,'' said Way.

"But you never know when it's going to become a bore or grind again. Maybe as you get a little bit older you appreciate it a bit more.'' Bermuda's toughest opponents next week are expected to be Puerto Rico and Costa Rica while the Dominican Republic are viewed as an unknown quantity.

"Obviously we'd like to win it all, but I think we're going to be a little bit of a longshot,'' said Way. "Short of that I'd like to win a few matches and have our team win a few matches. Anything can happen, so we're going down there with a positive attitude.'' Morelli, with an impressive Davis Cup background, had a stern message for Way on Wednesday night.

"Costa Rica is strong and Puerto Rico is strong and they're all clay court players,'' he said. "And in those countries where the society is so much tougher, winning or losing is really a matter of life and death.'' Michael Way