After a week of unbroken sunshine, it was almost inevitable that the sight of men in white tennis attire rasping balls around the Coral Beach club courts would be enough to awaken the wrath of the rain gods.

However, the appearance of April showers for the qualifying rounds of the Bermuda XL Open yesterday, and particularly on Saturday, was enough to ensure that the Island would still have one representative on display in the singles this morning.

Bermuda's number one, Michael Way, will open proceedings on centre court today, bidding to become the first home player to make it into the tournament proper in its six year history.

A winner in three sets yesterday over Davis Cup team-mate James Collieson in a match delayed from Saturday by the weather, the 31-year-old has, however, the imposing figure of Sweden's Lars Jonsson standing in his path.

Jonsson, a six foot two 27-year-old, has an impressive pedigree, making the fourth and third rounds at the Australian Open in successive years in 1994 and 1995, and once good enough to be ranked 67 in the world.

Realistically, Way knows he will have to be at his absolute best to take even a set off Jonsson, now rated 272nd.

After fighting back from a set down against his young compatriot to secure a 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 victory, Way admitted: "It's a different level really.

"If I could take a set, that would be great. But I'd just like to make a good account of myself and feel like I've played well no matter how many games I get.

"As long as I feel I've given the guy a good hit I'll be happy.'' Certainly, if he is to stand any chance, Way will have to be quicker out of the blocks than he was yesterday.

A good crowd had built up on the bank overlooking court number seven to witness Way drop his serve twice as Collieson took a 5-2 lead in the first set. And although he hit back with a break of his own to claw it back to 5-4, Collieson, whose speed round the court helped him retrieve shots he had no right to reach, served out to clinch the set.

Said Way afterwards: "I was a bit nervous. My leg was a bit stiff too because I've been playing a lot getting ready for the Davis Cup. It took me a while to loosen that up.'' In the second set, though, Way discovered the fluidity he had been missing, shooting into a 4-0 lead. A winning drive down the line from a smash that Collieson had failed to put away exemplified his improvement. So surprised was his opponent that he leapt over the net to express his admiration for his friend and rival.

Collieson managed to break back and hold his own serve before threatening to break Way again by taking a 40-0 lead. But Way kept his nerve, a fine backhand down the line capturing him the seventh game before he broke Way for the third time to take the set 6-2.

However, Way's exertions caught up with him after the first game of the third and he needed lengthy treatment for a strained side which pained him as he delivered. Still feeling the effects two games later, he slipped in an under-arm serve which Collieson seized on to dismiss down the line.

Way takes on Swede for place in Open From Page 25 At 2-2, Collieson had a point to break Way but the more experienced player kept his concentration and that was the last glimpse of victory Collieson got.

Way broke to go 4-2 up and Collieson began to suffer wrist cramps. The sighs of effort that had been accompanying either player's every shot began to contain expressions of genuine pain.

And it was another sigh -- one of relief -- that emanated from Way when, after wasting two match points on Collieson's serve, he produced a brilliant half volley drop shot to set up a third, which he accepted.

The two hour 25 minute epic was not, however, the longest of the weekend. On Saturday, US-based Bermudian Donald Evans and Bermuda-based American Greg Frigerio started their first round qualifier at 10.00 a.m. and completed it seven hours later when Evans clinched the match 7-1 on a tie-break in the third.

In between the breaks for rain, Evans let a 3-1 first set lead slip to allow Frigerio a 6-4 win. But he hit back in the second, taking it 6-3, before double faulting twice on his serve after another stoppage to go 2-0 down in the third. But after pulling back to 2-2 games went with serve until Evans took the tie-break.

Evans' hopes of advancing to the main draw, however, were blown away yesterday by Brazilian Richard Brostowicz, who combined impressive power with good awareness of the angles of the court to down his opponent 6-2, 6-0.

Also on the end of heavy defeats were Ricky Mallory and Pomander Gate pro Dean Mello. Mallory went down 6-0, 6-3 to Mashiska Washington, although the scoreline did not do justice to his brave attempt to take the game to his opponent. Mello, though, was embarrassingly outclassed 6-0, 6-0 by Eric Taino of the US.