Five current or former world champions are among a stellar line-up as the Bermuda Squash Open looks set to book its place among the world's elite tournaments.

Six of the top ten players on the planet have already signed up ahead of next week's deadline with 44 players from more than 14 countries vying for a place in the draw of 16.

The star-studded cast is set to firmly place the Island on the international squash map with March's tournament likely to attract worldwide coverage. It has already been described by Bermuda resident David Palmer as "one of the most exciting tournaments to hit the world tour in years".

Palmer, who held the world title until this year, will join Peter Nicol of England, a former Commonwealth and world champion who is one of the most consistent players in the game, Jonathan Power of Canada, also a former world champion considered by many to be the most exciting player in the world, Ong Beng Hee of Malaysia who won the World Junior Championships and is the defending Bermuda Open champion, and current world champion Amr Shabana of Egypt.

"The response has been terrific and we already have at least five players signed up who have held world titles, including the present world champion, Amr Shabana of Egypt who is fresh from his victory in Pakistan," said tournament director Ross Triffitt.

"So far we have 44 players from at least 14 countries vying for places in the draw of 16."

One place in the draw is already reserved for local ace Nick Kyme, who was finally granted a wild card entry into the tournament by the Professional Squash Association, whose opening game is likely to be watched by a huge partisan crowd.

The first 11 places automatically go to the top ranked players while Nick Kyme receives a wild card entry, leaving four places to be contested in a play-off tournament. Several of Bermuda's best local players will be competing in the play-offs but they will have a mountain to climb as they will be competing against at least a dozen players ranked in the top 40 in the world.

Entries are due to close next week when the Bermuda Squash Racquets Association will be making the draw.

The tournament is to be held from March 15-20 with all the main matches being played at the Bermuda High School gymnasium on an all-glass court.

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