Men's Tennis Commences Fall Season

The Harvard men's tennis team hit the ground running this weekend, kicking off the fall season by dominating two tournaments.

The team was split between tournaments as seven singles players and four doubles teams played at the Yale Invitational, four players competed at the Tom Fallon Invitational at Notre Dame University and captain Tom Blake was the lone Crimson representative at the prestigious National Clay Court Championships in Baltimore, where he was the 10th seed.

It was a great weekend all-around for the Crimson, who used the tournament play to prepare for the ECAC tournament this coming weekend. A victory at the ECACs would earn the team a spot at the ITA National Team Indoor Championships in Louisville this February. This weekend was all about getting match tough.

"I think it was a very good start," said junior Kunj Majmudar. "Compared to other teams in the region, we're very strong.

"Our performance really shows our depth this year. I thought it was great preparation for the ECACs."

In New Haven it was all Majmudar as he led the way for the Crimson, downing Providence's Dylan Williams 6-3, 6-2 in the A Singles finals. Sophomore Joe Green had several impressive wins in A singles action, reaching the A Singles Consolation final where Yale captain Andrew Tang edged him 2-6, 6-2, 7-6(4).

In the B Singles Consolation final freshman Anthony Barker outlasted Dartmouth captain Avery Ruebe 6-1, 3-6, 6-3. It was an all-Harvard C singles final as junior Vivek Mathews defeated teammate Jaime Gonzalez 6-0, 6-0.

In the B doubles final freshman Andrew Styperek and Barker defeated Yale's Greg Royce and Scott Carlton 8-4.

In South Bend, freshman Scott Clark was impressive in A Flight singles action, advancing to the semifinals. Senior Philip Tseng reached the A Flight quarters.

In the B Flight singles junior Mike Passarella took the title with a marathon 6-2, 3-6, 7-6(5) win over Rice's Robert Collins.

Clark and sophomore John Doran advanced to the second round of A Flight doubles, while Tseng and Passarella reached the second round of B Flight doubles.

After such solid match play at all levels of the ladder, the Crimson should be more than ready to take the ECACs this weekend.