Netmen Trounce Bears, Capture 6-0 Victory

The Harvard men's tennis team made a clean sweep of things Saturday at the Palmer Dixon Courts.

The Crimson dominated Brown, winning all six singles matches, to remain the only undefeated team in the EITA and avenge its 8-1 loss to the Bruins last year.

After winning his singles match and teaming up with doubles partner Derek Brown to decide Friday's match against Yale, 5-4, freshman Albert Chang again did the honors Saturday. His 6-4, 6-4 win over senior Kevin Wyman at the number four berth clinched the match against the Bruins.

The Big Zim

In the number-one singles match, freshman Michael Zimmerman dropped the first set but captured the next two to defeat senior Tim Donovan. Donovan, last year's EITA Player of the Year, is currently ranked number one in the East. With the win, Zimmerman continues his mastery over the top players in the East, having already defeated West Virginia's Paul Mancini and Columbia's Rob Kresberg, ranked second and third in the East, respectively.

The first set was characterized by numerous unforced errors from Zimmerman, especially off his backhand.

"I think I was sort of forcing my shots in the first set," Zimmerman said. "I knew he was a very solid baseliner, and I felt I had to end the points quickly. In the second set, I realized I could rally with him and came out really strong, but he came back, so I was really fortunate to pull it out."

Freshman Mike Shyjan continued to play well in the second singles spot, dropping a tough tiebreaker in the second set, but holding on to defeat Mircea Morariu, 6-3, 6-7 (6-8), 6-3.

"I was pretty much dictating the whole match," Shyjan said. "He came up with some amazing shots [in the tiebreaker]. He had a lot of momentum after he won the tiebreaker, but I broke him in the third game [of the third set], so I wasn't really worried."

After struggling in the first set, Brown took control in the second, beating Nick Jones, 7-6, 6-2, at the number-three spot.

Junior Robi Soni easily overcame Steve Ryu, 6-2, 6-2, at the sixth-singles position, exacting his own personal revenge. Last year, Ryu beat Soni in straight sets.

Sophomore Jonathan Cardi rallied from 3-6 in the first-set tiebreaker to take the set and defeat Gordie Ernst, 7-6, 6-4, at the number-five singles to make Harvard's domination complete.

"I'm really pleased for the guys because as they get better, they'll have to fight to stay hungry," Harvard Coach Dave Fish said. "Right now they are hungry."