Harvard Tennis Squads Unbeatable In Weekend Contests at Home, on Road

With its number-three singles player back in action, the Harvard men's tennis team handily polished off Army Saturday, 9-0, at the Beren Tennis Center.

Having won each match in straight sets, the netmen go into the final two games of the season with full confidence and a 7-1 spring record (5-1 Ivy).

This week's Dartmouth contest is also expected to be easy for the Crimson.

"This weekend's Army match and Tuesday's Dartmouth match are a little like tune ups for the big Princeton match next Wednesday." Coach Dave Fish said.

"Very likely that will decide the second place standings for the Ivies," he added.

Although Princeton (4-2 Ivy) has one of the country's top-ranked singles players in Ted Farnsworth, many of the Harvard players are confident about a victory.

"We can match up with them player for player down the line," said freshman DarryI Laddin, one of the three Yardlings on the varsity squad. "They don't have as much depth as we do."

"If everyone is healthy, we should be in very good shape against Princeton," said junior Dave Beckman.

Beckman missed both of last week's matches, against Cornell and Brown, because of a strained Knce. Returning to action Saturday, Beckman played both singles and doubles, winning in straight sets both times.

"I was playing near 100 percent against Army," said Beckman. "But it's still a little sore right now."

Injuries might be the key against the Big Green, as number-one singles player Larry Scott has also been hampered for the past week with an ankle injury.

"We're playing a lot better now then we were at the beginning of the Ivy League season," Beckman said. "Too bad we lost a match to Columbia, because we could very well be the best team of the Ivies at the moment."

the Princeton contest has even more even value for some players, who are in the running for a bid to the Nationals at UCLA next month. With string victories in the next two matches, Fish said, Scott and Bill Stanley may be candidates for national bids in singles play.

Fish said he also expects the doubles team of Beckman and Rob Loud to be under consideration for national bids.