Mats Wilander has confirmed that he will compete in the XL Bermuda Open -- but the future Hall of Famer comes to the Island with strings attached.

There's no doubt that Wilander -- who made his biggest impact on the pro circuit in the 1980s -- will be bringing his guitar with him for the tournament, which takes place at Coral Beach and Tennis Club from April 17 to 22.

It's uncertain, however, whether Wilander will be able to coax Keith Richards, his neighbour and close friend, to come along as a spectator. Richards, of course, is a member of the Rolling Stones.

Wilander has been high on Tournament Director Alec Anderson's hit parade ever since he organised the original XL Classic in December, 1993.

But Anderson was unable to lure the Swedish native to Bermuda at the time, but was certainly at the top of the tournament's wish list for 1995.

Two other big names have been pencilled in for the $325,000 ATP event -- doubles partners Grant Connell and Patrick Galbraith will also be competing and Anderson hopes to announce shortly that Patrick McEnroe, a fan favourite in 1993, will be returning this spring.

The latest signings will add lustre to a line-up that already includes ATP star Todd Martin, ranked in the top 10 and expected to make his mark in the Australian Open, taking place over the next two weeks.

Wilander was ousted from the Open yesterday, losing in straight sets to Dutchman Jacco Eltingh.

Last year was Wilander's first full year on the tour since 1990, when he made an abrupt exit from the game because he had simply lost interest in playing.

He jumped 200 spots in the rankings in 1993, finishing the year at 126, bolstered by solid performances at Pinehurst, where he reached the semi-finals and at Atlanta, where he lost in the quarter-finals. Both times he lost to Martin and the pair are bound to renew their rivalry in Bermuda.

"He's pretty much as good as he ever was in 1988,'' Anderson said yesterday of Wilander. "He's also extremely fit right now.

"I was hoping to get him for the original Classic but I didn't know if he was still a serious player.'' In 1988 Wilander won the Australian, French and US Opens and was a quarter-finalist at Wimbledon.

When Anderson saw Wilander play at the US Open in 1993 "I knew he could still play.'' Wilander, 30, spent time in Bermuda after getting married several years ago.

Last September he became a father for the second time.

Connell and Galbraith are currently ranked fifth among doubles players and are coming off a win in the New Zealand Open on Sunday.

They were expected to play in the XL Classic, but pulled out at the last minute when Galbraith became ill.

"I think he felt a little bad about not coming last time, I think he really felt like he'd let me down,'' said Anderson.

Connell began the year playing with Byron Black and lost in the Adelaide finals to Jim Courier and Patrick Rafter. Galbraith made it to the quarter-finals but was teamed with Jonathan Stark because they were using the event as a tune-up for the Davis Cup.

MATS WILANDER -- Will play in the XL Bermuda Open.