Crimson Netmen Brutalize Bruins, 7-2 On Newly Dedicated Beren Courts

The Harvard men's tennis team upped its Ivy record to 6-0 (13-5 overall) Saturday against Brown, beating the Bruins 7-2, despite a few changes in the lineup following its gruelling victory over the Elis. Playing outdoors at the Beren Tennis Center, the team was especially psyched following the dedication of the courts.

Big To Do

The courts were named in honor of Robert M. Beren '47 and his son Adam '83, who has captained the netmen for the last two years Completed in August of 1981, the eight plexipave courts have a medium fast surface and are surrounded with wind breaking protection. At the ceremony, Robert Beren, the donor of the center, cited his reliance on his tennis game as a relief from his business practices. His son commented on the value of the Harvard experience, and the growth of the tennis program since his arrival. He gave special acknowledgement to classmates and netman Warren Grossman and Howard Sands, and emphasized the "patience and foresight" of Coach Dave Fish.

With first seed Sands taking a rest because of overwhelming fatigue, Fish rearranged both his singles and doubles lineup. Second seed Grossman moved to the number one spot, while Beren made his first appearance in singles since Harvard defeated Navy. He played in the sixth position while the rest of the team was also moved up one position.

Grossman played Brown's John Hare and thrilled the crowds that had turned out for the dedication ceremonies. While stroking firmly from the back court, he also made some quick moves to the net that surprised the frustrated Hare While Grossman wasn't particularly showy with his shoots, he made few mistakes, and forced Hare to fall into trap after trap, hitting the ball away from where Hare seemed to expect it Grossman went aggressively to net when the Bruin was unprepared, and, seeming a bit flustered. Hare often hit the ball low in to the net Grossman was playing the kind of game that few would want to be up against.

After taking the first set 6-4. Grossman, quite at home in the number one spot, played nearly faultless tennis. He set Hare up with several changes from baseline forehand to backhand, then went to the net and shot him down with some clearly out of reach shots Hare was heard to comment to himself at one point quite vocally. "I can't play tennis today "Grossman didn't let him, taking the set and match with a 6-0 win.

At number six, Beren, who had lost some fifteen pounds because of a change in diet, was playing his singles match with some expected unease. While making most of the easier strokes, be still seemed a bit off in his timing with some of the shorter range volleys. Just missing several close shots. After moving to a 5-2 lead in the first set, Beren took advantage of his opponent's nonexistent backhand and hit them there as often as possible, After Barry Judge often returned into the net. Judge, however, was not depending on his backhand. He could hit well, and moved to the ball rapidly, going for some shots that seemed out of reach. Beren began to fall behind in the second set, after a 6-2 win in the first. He was down 4-1 at one point, but from there he seemed unwilling to lose. Judge witnessed his own dismissal, as Beren didn't let him win another game, taking the set 6-4.

Harvard swept all the singles matches But one crucial win was especially precarious. Number five man Ken Kleinfeld had won the second set of his match 6-3, after losing the first by the same score. In the last set Kleinfeld was down 4-1. He struggled to a 4-4 tie, and moved up to a score of 6-5 in his favor in the deciding game. Kleinfeld won the first point. His opponent Billy Way then took the next. Kleinfeld double faulted the next two points. After missing a first serve, Kleinfeld's whole match rested on one serve, which he yelled at himself to make. He did, surprising both himself and his opponent, who wasn't ready for the return Kleinfeld said of the 7-5 win. "I would never have heard the end of it if I double faulted three times in a row to lose a match "He added that he'd lost confidence in his serve earlier in the match, and that he'd been altering it for more power during the week.

Grossman and partner Rob Loud, at the first doubles position, played a team they had beaten in three sets earlier this year, and after sweeping those Bruins away 6-0, in the first, went rally for rally with them in a tough doubles exhibition. They won the second set 6-4, in one of the quickest first doubles matches of the season.