SPORTS BRIEF: Men's Tennis Sends Doubles Pair to ITA Indoor Championships

Two tough losses, including a two-point defeat and a tiebreaker, sent Harvard back to Cambridge without a win in the ITA Indoor National Championships and closed the Crimson’s fall season this weekend. Doubles pair junior Alistair Felton and sophomore Andy Nguyen lost to teams from the University of California, Berkley and UCLA.

“We were excited because we were there last year, and it’s very exciting to see that type of skill level,” Nguyen said. “Our doubles positioning has improved a lot. We feel like we can hang with some doubles teams from across the country.”

The pair lost their first match of the tournament, 9-7, last Friday to the Cal Golden Bears’ Nick Andrews and Christoffer Konigsfeldt. After gaining an early service break, Harvard appeared to have the upper hand, but the Golden Bears took control through a number of accurate lobs as the game went on. Berkley gained strength from its accuracy in both serves and returns as well, which helped lead the Golden Bear tandem to victory by targeting areas that the Crimson was not expecting.

“They had two chip return lobs that landed right on the line and caught us off guard,” Nguyen said. “We felt like could have beat them, so it was really disappointing.”

Harvard hoped to redeem itself after its first loss but fell just short. Felton and Nguygen were defeated by UCLA’s Amit Inbar and Nick Meister on Saturday. Although the Crimson held its own against the Bruins, the pair lost, 9-8 (7-5), to the sixth-ranked pair, even after a slow start. Felton lost his serve at the start of the game, starting the pair at a disadvantage, but halfway through the match, Harvard broke back at 4-4.

The Crimson gained a competitive edge through some volleys and accurate positioning that increased Harvard’s control of the net toward the end of the match. After the break at 4-4, Harvard continued to gain points and hold onto the momentum until the tie breaker.

“It was just so close!” Nguygen said. “With a change of serve, anything could happen.”

The UCLA duo has a strong history in singles games as well as doubles. The pairing led to a powerhouse doubles team. Nguyen said he could appreciate his competitor’s skill, especially under the pressure of a tiebreaker.

“I guess that’s why they’re the No. 6 [team]. They’re good in those pressure-time situations,” Nguyen said. “We just need to be in those situations more often, and we would improve a lot.”

Felton and Nguyen are headed in the direction of those situations. The pair has one more year to play together after the end of this spring season. While the tournament might have been frustrating, it indicates a strong fall season for the Crimson.

“On the one hand, it was really disappointing, but on the other, it’s the sign of good things to come,” Nguyen said. “Our other doubles pairings are just as good as we are, so it’s a good sign for our doubles teams.”

—RINA L. PERRAULT