This is the first in a series of biweekly reports on interesting tennis developments around the globe. We hope you enjoy the column, and if you hear of any interesting goings-on in your part of the world, please l et us know.

The ATP and WTA tours may have wound to a close, but there is still lots of action around the world, as many tennis nations are hosting exhibitions and national competitions featuring well-known players.

Two events in Spain drew some of the top Spanish talent in November. The Spanish Masters in Madrid attracted the eight elite Iberian male players, except for Carlos Moya who is out with a back injury. The winner? None other than the erstwhile veteran Francisco "Pato" Clavet, in a hard-fought and emotional three set final over Alex Corretja. The indoor arena was packed with 6,000 fans, almost all of them cheering for Pato, a cagey left-hander who hails from Madrid.

Clavet and many other Spanish aces then moved on to Valencia for the Spanish Men?s Club Championship in late November. The Real Club of Barcelona, the capital of Spanish tennis, quite naturally form s the most potent team, led by Fernando Vicente, Galo Blanco, Alberto Berasategui and Javier Sanchez. Even the recently retired Carlos Costa laced up the tennis shoes to play for his home club, which had won five consecutive national titles.

Speaking of veterans, the ultimate veteran, 34-year-old Gianluca Pozzi, keeps on keeping on. He won the Italian nationals in Milan, and declared to the Italian newspaper La Gazzetta Dello Sport that he has no thoughts of retiring. "If I s tay in the condition I?m in now, I might play until I?m 40," enthused the evergreen 93rd-ranked native of Bari who is hopeful to compete next year in the Olympics for the first time in his career in 2000.

The surprise of the women?s side of the Italian championships was Giulia Meruzzi, a tall, lean, hard-hitter ranked in the 700s. Meruzzi upset Laura Golarsa, the second seed, and reached the final. I?d say she was a young player to watch, but I can find no biographical informat ion on her anywhere, and she may be Pozzi?s age for all I know.

A young player we know much more about is the prodigious 16-year-old Wimbledon semifinalist Jelena Dokic. Dokic has found a new coach, and not just any coach: she is now working with Australian tennis legend Tony Roche. Jelena seems excited about the relationship, and told the Melbourne Age, "I?ve learned more in working with Tony for a month and a half than in my w hole life." We?ll see if the partnership is beneficial, as the second half of Dokic?s season has not very successful since her excellent runs at the Hopman Cup and Wimbledon earlier in the year.

On the subject of talented Aussie teens, watch out for another 16-year-old, Jaslyn Hewitt. Yes, she is Lleyton Hewitt?s little sister. Jaslyn has won two 16-and-under tournaments in Europe and is ranked second in her age group in Australia. She says she would like to follow her brothe r into the pros, where she fully intends to win a Grand Slam. Neither confidence nor unusual first names are in short supply in the Hewitt family, evidently.

It appears that Marcelo Rios, once he recovers from groin surgery (he is expected to return in March) will have the company of a compatriot on the tour. Young Chilean Nicolas Massu, of whom many good things are said in South America, has quietly been building his ranking on the Challenger circuit and is on the verge of breaking into the top 100. Massu, nicknamed "El Vampiro" ("The Vampire") in Chile for his tall, gaunt appearance, will be interesting to follow next year on the main tour, after an excellent debut in the "minor leagues" of tennis and strong showings in Davis Cup in 1999. He is virtually assured direct entry in the Australian Open in January.