Harvard's varsity tennis team coasted past Brown in Providence yesterday, 9-0, in a warm-up for the big Penn match Friday.

The netmen, under pressure in only a couple of matches, did not drop a set all afternoon. Crimson captain Dean Peckham (number three) had a little trouble with his control against stubborn Ed Shein, but pulled through, 6-3, 6-4.

In the number three doubles match, Brian Davis and Mike Tarre eased up in, the second set against weak opposition and got a scare. They finally won, 6-2, 10-8.

Brown did not win more than two games a set in any of the other matches.

Clive Kileff and Chum Steele, playing one and two for Harvard, impressively disposed of Brown's best, Kileff shafted Jim Schriber, 6-0, 6-1, and Steele blasted past Bob Higginbottom, 6-0, 6-2.

At number four, left-hander Terry Robinson baffled Bob Bruce with his unorthodox style, 6-1, 6-1. Richie Friedman, another lefty, whipped George Connell, 6-2, 6-2. Davis (six), a Crimson sophomore with a big attack, found his range yesterday 6-2, 6-1.

Harvard was even less merciful in the doubles. Peckham and Steele, booming serves past Higgenbottom and Sheiu, won the number one doubles by the embarrassing score of 6-0, 6-0.

Robinson and Kileff combined to win the second doubles over Bruce and Yourt, 6-2, 6-2.

The victory was Harvard's second in league play and its fourth straight 9-0 shutout.

Crimson ace Dave Benjamin, fearing that the ride to Brown would aggravate his back, decided to stay at Harvard and practice for the Penn match with teammate Dick Appleby. Benjamin has been out for three weeks because of a severe muscle spasm; Appleby missed last week's matches because of a strep throat.

Harvard's freshman team also pounded Brown yesterday, 8-1, for its third victory of the season. The freshmen play Andover here at 3 p.m. today in what may be one of its stiffest matches.