M.I.T. may provide stronger competition than usual when it meets the Harvard tennis varsity today.

The M.I.T. team has traditionally been dismissed as weak. In the past few years though, the Engineers have put up more of a flight than expected. As coach Jack Barnaby said after close matches last year, "The same thing happens every year. We're just too overconfident."

On its southern tour last week, M.I.T. posted several victories, but lost 9-0 to North Carolina, where the Harvard team won three matches.

Barnaby is unsure of the Crimson's strength. "Most of the team hasn't jelled yet to the kind of consistency we need," he said yesterday.

The line-up today will be the same as at Annapolis last Saturday, except for the substitution of Steve Devereux for Chris Neilson in the number six spot. Neilson has a sore wrist, but may still play with Bill Washauer in number two doubles.

The matches at M.I.T. will be the first in a grueling schedule of three matches in four days. On Thursday the netmen meet Amherst, which is reputedly strong this year, and on Saturday they will journey to Penn. Penn has a powerful team, and holds a big advantage on its hard courts.

"If we beat Penn on those hard courts it will be a real upset," said Barnaby. He added, "It would also be an upset if we beat them here on our clay courts."