M. Tennis Rolls Over Big Green in Season Finale

Tennis can be compared to war. There are struggles to win points, mental battles, injuries and a fight to the finish.

Yesterday's men's tennis match between Harvard and Dartmouth was also like a war--the Persian Gulf war, that is. The Crimson (14-11, 5-2 Ivy) utterly dominated the hapless Big Green in its season finale, quickly dismissing Dartmouth (5-15, 0-7) 7-0.

Yesterday also marked the ten-year anniversary of the last time Harvard lost a regular season match at home. With the win, the Crimson extended its home-winning streak to 41 matches.

The outcome was never in doubt. Starting with the doubles, Harvard tore into the Big Green, this year's Ivy League doormat. Crimson juniors Anthony Barker and Mike Rich defeated David Floren and Matt Young 8-0 at the No. 3 slot. Co-captain Joe Green and freshman Dave Lingman, paired at No. 2, also had an easy pro set, beating Jeff Sloves and Parashar Ranade 8-2. Harvard completed the sweep when co-captain John Doran and sophomore Cillie Swart took out Robert Chen and Greg d'Incelli, 8-4.

The Crimson carried its momentum into the singles. All six players won without a dropping a set.

Green epitomized Harvard's domination. In less than an hour, he used punishing forehands and aggressive net play to dispatch with Andrew Evans, 6-1, 6-0.

"I think I definitely played better than some of the last two weeks," Green said.

Sophomore Dalibor Snyder won next, playing at No. 6. Shortly after Green had finished, Snyder defeated Jon Powell, 6-3, 6-2, to give the Crimson a 3-0 lead. The match was sealed several minutes later when Barker, at No. 4, put the final touches on a 6-3, 6-3 win over Harlan Thompson.

Some players ran into a bit of trouble, however. Sophomore William Lee, playing at No. 5, won his first set 6-1, but d'Incelli fought back to force a tiebreaker in the second. Lee comfortably won 7-3 to save the match.

Lingman also had to battle in his first set, but an early break kept Sloves at bay long enough for Lingman to win 6-4. He then gathered himself and won the second set 6-2.

Doran was also at the top of his game yesterday. Taking on Chen at the No. 1 spot, Doran used the tried-and-true method of absolutely crushing his serves. Chen was often stuck playing defensively, and Doran took advantage. In the few cases Chen was able to attack, Doran pulled off some nice passing shots on his way to winning 6-2, 6-1.

The match marked the end of a disappointing Ivy League season. Winners of the last five league titles, including ten of the last 11, Harvard this year lost to both Columbia and Brown. With the Lions finishing a perfect 7-0, the Crimson was relegated to a second-place tie with Princeton.

"In hindsight, both [Ivy League] losses were close," Green said. "Both times we were tied at 3-all and it came down to the last match. In the two we lost, just one set went the other way."

Harvard had beat Columbia in the fall, and an Ivy title would've put the Crimson in the NCAA tournament.

The two seniors on the team, Doran and Green, fittingly ended their careers with good victories. Both players were in absolute control the whole way.

Ironically, the two players they beat, Chen and Evans, were also seniors playing their final collegiate matches.

Green, for one, has put his racket down for a while.

"I'm done with tennis," he said. "I'll be starting a job, probably with a firm in New York."

Doran, whose season was unfortunately a short one due to a persistent knee injury that kept him off the court until spring, will most likely keep playing. He has hinted that he will turn professional.

Despite losing two of its top three players, Harvard should still be strong next year. Lingman will make a very good No. 1 as a sophomore, and hopefully the Crimson won't suffer the type of seasonal injuries that kept players, like junior Andrew Styperek, from competing during the Ivy season. The result would be an experienced and deep lineup.

Luckily, Harvard fans won't have to wait long. The 2000-01 season begins in September.