Tennis Teams Prep for Weekend Tourneys

If senior Erika Elmuts--the Harvard women's tennis team's top player--was President of the Young Republicans Club, she couldn't be any more frustrated about this week's events.

Harvard tennis' Elmuts and freshman Kate Roiter were slated to compete this weekend in the ITCA Rolex Regional Individual Championship at Pennsylvania in both the singles and doubles draws.

But the Kirkland House senior injured her right ankle in practice Tuesday afternoon and is listed as questionable for the tournament.

"I've been playing really well for the past few weeks, and all of my offcourt training was really paying off," Elmuts said yesterday.

Head Coach Gordon Graham added that "Erika's been working very hard to get ready for this tournament."

Elmuts said that "at practice on Tuesday, I was thinking about how my lifting and cardiovascular work was really making a difference, and not fifteen minutes later..."

Elmuts' nemesis came in the form of a small, fuzzy yellow tennis ball--underfoot.

Granat, Parker Alternates

Graham named freshman stand-out Kelly Granat and junior Eliza Parker as possible alternates for the tourney.

Parker would compete in singles and the team of Parker/Granat would represent the Crimson in the doubles draw.

But if the substitutions were to be made, Harvard's outlook would be equally promising.

"Eliza can be a flashy player, and if she get's hot, she could do well," Graham said.

"I think we would have a decent chance of doing pretty well," Granat said of the doubles team's prospects. "Eliza and I have been playing together for about a month now, and we're pretty comfortable with each other on the court."

Not Counting Balls Before Serve

But the Crimson players are not counting their tennis balls before they're served.

Co-Captain Parker has been absent from the Palmer-Dixon courts this week due to illness.

"It looks like Eliza is well enough to play, so that's what we're going on," Graham said last night.

As for Roiter, this weekend is full of promise as well.

"Kate's been picking things up lately, and her game's much more consistent," Graham said. "She has the potential to make it to the quarters or semis this weekend if she plays well."

"I feel like I've been hitting the ball pretty solidly lately," said Roiter. "My serve has also improved a lot this week, and that would really put me on the offensive rather than the defensive."

"Hopefully I'll play aggressively, stay focused, and be on top of my game," she said.

The tournament will feature 64 singles competitors and 40 doubles teams representing the best of the East.

Top seeds in the singles draw hail from Syracuse, Virginia, and William and Mary.