FORMER national champion Paul Jerome De Verteuil is among several key players not participating in the National Squash Championships.

The Bermudez-sponsored tournament will be contested at Cascadia Squash Club, St Ann's, from tonight until Saturday.

The left-handed De Verteuil is out of the country, along with Mark Laughlin, Marc Pontifex and national under-19 champion Amy Gillezeau.

Tessa Martin, home on vacation from studies in the United States, and Nicole Currie are missing because of injury, while leading juniors Kevin Ross, Ryan Bayne, Patrick brothers Mandela and Nku, Jessica Scott and 2006 Caribbean under-15 champion Justin Sanguinette are focusing on examinations.

But although the draws are depleated, the top players are still involved.

Colin Ramasra, this country's only professional player, will be attempting to set the record straight after being upset in last year's quarterfinals by former junior rival Ryan Abraham.

The three-time national champ, who is ranked 197th in the world, has beaten defending champion Josh Pinard twice since he arrived from England a few weeks ago.

But Pinard must be encouraged by the fact that he has been able to extend Ramasra to five sets on both occasions. In fact, before they clashed in the league last week, the 19-year-old won the first two sets in the final of the Digicel Trinidad and Tobago Open the week before.

As expected, Ramasra, Pinard and Abraham are seeded first, second and third, respectively, while national under-17 and under-19 champ Kale Wilson is the other seeded player.

Rhea Khan, who has been crowned national champ on more than ten occasions, should have no trouble increasing her incredible tally. Michelle Cornilliac is the No. 2 seed, while Ingrid Lloyd and 15-year-old Emily Bones are seeded third and fourth, respectively.

And with top veterans' player John Holley inadvertently committed to a golf tournament, former multiple national champ Richard Hart is the strong over-40 favourite.

Roger Salandy, Brian Jackson and Brian Phillips are the other seeds.

The tournament serves off at 6 p.m. with men's qualifying matches and they will play "round of 16" matches tomorrow night.

The women and veterans' will make their first appearance on Thursday night-quarterfinal night.