Six Islanders have been granted wild card entries to the qualifying rounds of the Bermuda XL Open which start today.

And at least two are certain to make the second round of the preliminary event -- putting them just one step away from reaching the tournament proper, which begins on Monday, and for which four will qualify.

Island number one Michael Way will take on up-and-coming compatriot James Collieson, while Donald Evans has been drawn against Gregg Frigerio.

Ricky Mallory, who was originally a doubt to take part in the singles because of a hamstring problem, has shaken off his injury sufficiently to face a match with Mashiska Washington, the brother of former XL winner and Wimbledon finalist Mal.

Mashiska is currently ranked 562 in the world.

Bermuda's remaining wild card, Dean Mello, faces a contest against Eric Taino, rated 675 on the latest ATP Tour rankings.

The winner of the Way-Collieson encounter will face a tough task in the second qualifying round against number one seed Lars Jonsson, ranked 272.

Play starts today at 10.00 a.m.

Full first qualifying round draw, seeds in brackets Lars Jonsson (1), bye Michael Way v James Collieson Richard Brostowicz (2), bye Gregg Frigerio v Donald Evans Ulrich Seetzen (3), bye Ricky Mallory v Mashiska Washington (5) Lars Rehmann (4), bye Dean Mello v Eric Taino (6) Zarah DeSilva will get a chance to avenge her round-robin defeat by Britain's Hannah Pritchard when the pair meet for the second time in the girls final of the Barclays International junior tennis tournament in Barbados today.

DeSilva overcame Barbadian Anna Lee Bryant in straight sets in the semis to book her place against Pritchard, who beat her earlier 6-4, 6-2.

Pritchard dashed hopes of an all-Bermudian final when she beat Danielle Downey 6-3, 4-6, 6-4.

Dane DeSilva, Zarah's father, said his daughter was very excited about the match which he thought would be "some game''.

Meanwhile the boys did not prove as successful with John Wardman and Jevon Whitter going down in the semi-finals of the doubles to Kareem Bedminster of Antigua and Rayne Russell of Jamaica. The duo were beaten 6-3, 6-3.