Racquetmen Hope to Challenge Princeton After Southern Tour

On last year's spring vacation southern trip the Harvard tennis team lost all of its matches, but came back to win the Ivy League title when Princeton forfeited its last three matches.

The team could be a major contender once again this year, but only if captain Bill Washauer and Joe Cavanagh recover from injuries. Coach Jim Barnaby said yesterday, "Both Princeton and Columbia are returning with very strong teams, and Penn should also be very good. We could finish fourth or could surprise everybody by winning it all."

Washauer, slated at number one in singles, underwent a knee operation for calcium deposits in January and is still questionable. Cavanagh, who would otherwise play at number two, reinsured his arm late in the hockey season.

Hockey

"Hockey's a great sport," Barnaby said. "They know they can't beat Cavanagh so they try to kill him instead."

Chris Nielson, who played number three last year, is not coming out this year, and Dave Fish will move up to take his spot. Dick Berner, a freshman with sophomore standing, is expected to play at number four.

Bill Brook should return at number five, and Peter Briggs, number one on the squash team, seems to be the best among the sophomores competing for number six.

Doubles is a traditional strength of Harvard tennis. but going into the southern trip, the top two pairs are undecided. Nielson and Washauer were the best in the East last year; if Washauer is ready. Berner will probably be his partner. Fish teamed with Cavanagh last year; Briggs is the probable alternate if the All-American hockey star is unable to play.

Only Tom Loring and Randy Barnett, who played together on last year's freshman squad, are set at doubles.

"This year more than ever, performance on the southern trip will determine the make-up of the team." Barnaby said. He attributes the team's lack of success on the trip to the edge in consistency which the Southern teams get from year-round practice. "We would give most of them a good match later on in the season." he said.

Barnaby said that his major task as coach is "putting an old head on young shoulders" by teaching his players percentage tennis. "It takes two to make good teaching, a teacher and a pupil, and that's why Harvard tennis is so good. All of these guys are legitimate members of the academic community: they'd be here even if they had never seen a racquet. Berner is a concert violinist," he added.

As usual there is a good deal of overlap between the tennis and squash teams. Briggs ranked second in the squash nationals this year; Fish finished fourth.