M. Tennis Brings New Mix to Court Today

Across the river, behind the Bright Hockey Center at the corner of the athletic fields lies the splendid 18-court Beren Tennis Center. As one of the new gems of the Harvard Athletic Department, it is here that the new, extremely young Harvard men's tennis team will try to make a name for itself.

Starting this weekend, when Harvard hosts its Fall Invitational, tennis fans will be treated to many new faces and old faces in new places. Gone are John Doran and Joe Green, the Dublin Duo that captained last year's team. Gone, too, are the five straight Ivy League titles that made the Crimson one of the preeminent college teams in the country. And, perhaps most surprising of all, gone also is Dave Lingman, who had such a successful freshman season last year that he decided to go pro this summer.

Left in their places is an engaging mix of tested veterans and eager freshmen. Six freshmen, to be exact, which outnumbers any other class on the team.

Leading the 2000-01 squad are co-captains Michael Rich and Anthony Barker, who along with Andrew Styperek represent the team's senior class. If their stint as doubles partners last year was any indication, Rich and Barker will make a good pair.

Rich is the definition of a leader by example. A role player who saw plenty of action last season, he can be considered a father figure for the team. He took two years off in the middle of his college career to complete a Mormon mission, and consequently, at age 24, is a good deal older than some of his teammates.

"Mike's the conscience of the team," Styperek said.

Barker, an Australian, may have cemented his role as a team leader during last spring's Ivy League season. He posted a 6-1 singles mark, mostly at the No. 4 slot. During a match versus a tough Princeton team, Barker pulled through the decisive victory in less-than-perfect weather conditions to save Harvard from what would have been a crippling loss.

With the loss of Lingman, Barker is the highest-seeded player left. However, team play doesn't begin until later in the year and the lineup is nowhere near set.

Also returning are juniors Cillie Swart, Dalibor Snyder and William Lee. Lee is the best of this pack, leading the team in victories, with 21, last year. He put up solid wins at the end of the year, mostly at No. 5 singles, winning all of his matches versus Ivy opponents. Swart and Snyder mainly played doubles last year, but most likely will see more singles play this year. Sophomores Oli Choo and Ki-teh Kim also return.

Coach David Fish '72 also solidifies the future of the team with six promising freshmen. They are a tested bunch, too, all having been ranked in the top 100 in the under-18 United States rankings.

Most of them ought to be ready for top-notch college tennis. Ryan Browne, who was ranked No. 39 while in high school, is a star out of the competitive California tennis scene. Mark Riddell, of Florida, is a product of the Nick Bollettieri Academy, the prestigious tennis academy that has produced the likes of Andre Agassi and Anna Kournikova.

Among the other newcomers, Cliff Nguyen was one of the most dominant singles players in Pennsylvania, and Chris Chiou excelled in the Midwest, playing for a Nebraska high school. Rounding out the class of 2004 are George Turner and Bo Wiegand.

While the possibilities for the future of this team are numerous, the Crimson will get down to business immediately today and tomorrow when it hosts the Harvard Fall Invitational. Players from nationally ranked teams like Alabama will take part, as well as lower-tier squads such as MIT. Since the Beren Tennis Center opened in April, this weekend marks the first time the facility will be utilized in the autumn chill.

"I like the courts," Styperek said. "They play very slow. Just like me."

Styperek's levity and joviality is a great boost for the rest of the team. During his teammate's matches, expect to hear his shrill voice yelling a "way to go" or "yeah, baby" after an exciting point.

And if the Harvard men's tennis team can properly integrate its old and new faces into a rejuvenated Ivy powerhouse, expect those yells to get louder and more frequent.