of one of its biggest stars.

Billy Way, Jr. was killed early yesterday morning while crossing a busy Manhattan street. A former number one player in Bermuda, Way was expected to take part in the Shell Challenge Weekend on July 13 and 14, competing in doubles with his brother Michael.

As news of Way's death reverberated across the Island, stunned members of the Bermuda Lawn Tennis Association's executive wrestled with the idea of cancelling what has become one of the biggest events on the local tennis calendar.

"I feel so messed up about this thing, it's the last type of news I expected today,'' said a shocked BLTA president David Lambert yesterday. "Billy was telling me he was playing his best tennis ever...I was looking forward to watching him play.'' After consulting with BLTA vice-president Allan Simmons, Lambert decided to go ahead with the event, which will feature a "mini-tournament'' involving Davis Cup players from Bermuda, Puerto Rico, Panama and South Africa.

"We're going ahead with the event,'' said Simmons. "But we want to pay the proper respect to the Way family. We've come up with some ideas and we're trying to think of something that would be appropriate to do, whether the event should be in his memory or something like that.'' Way, 35, was part of the first squad to represent Bermuda at the prestigious Davis Cup competition in 1995.

At the time he told The Royal Gazette that he was "proud and happy to be part of the first Davis Cup squad.'' Way, however, made his mark long before that by winning local tournaments on a regular basis. His international career blossomed with a string of accomplishments including a medal near-miss at the Pan American Games in Cuba in 1991. A year later he and Steve Alger captured bronze at the CAC Games in Mexico and almost made the Olympic squad in 1992.

"I'm absolutely devastated,'' said Alger in a telephone interview from England yesterday. "I'm absolutely gutted. I'm at a loss for words. What can you say? It's just awful.'' That reaction was typical as team-mates learned of Way's death. Donald Evans called his former doubles partner "an integral part of local tennis. Even next week he was being called to carry the baton again.'' Evans will replace Way on the programme which will feature Davis Cup players Michael Way, Steve Bean, James Collieson and Ricky Mallory.

Simmons, who travelled with Way on numerous overseas competitions, said the player will go down as one of Bermuda's best. "He would certainly be up there,'' said Simmons. "He's close to the top because he's won a lot of international events.'' "He always came out as a leader,'' added Simmons. "If there were any problems with the other players he would always be the one to sort it out.

I've been the captain or the manager of several teams and he certainly helped me a lot. He was not a prima donna. He was always there to work.'' Lambert said Way "always wanted to give his best, even if it came down to making sure that the court we were practising on was up to par. Anything for the well-being of the team...that was always his priority.'' After graduating from Brown University, Way followed his tennis dreams by travelling around the globe on the Satellite circuit. He competed against players ranked mostly in the 200 and 400 range and when his skills began to erode he taught tennis in places like New York City's Central Park.

"I'll miss him,'' said Evans. "I'll really miss the fact that he was a strong advocate and I enjoyed playing doubles with him because of that. It's wonderful to have someone playing on your team who is not going to leave any stones unturned.'' Members of the tennis community got their last glimpse of Way, who lived in Manhattan, when he was in Bermuda for his brother Brian's wedding. "His brother Mike told me that he was very impressed with Billy's level of play,'' said Lambert. "I was calling Mrs. Way to find out his travel plans when I got the news. It just kind of flattened me, I couldn't think.'' BILLY WAY -- Bermuda's former number one, killed in a traffic accident in Manhattan early yesterday, would have been a star attraction at this month's Shell Challenge Weekend.

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