1996

Sports Statistics

Record: 20-7, 8-1 EITA

EITA Finish: 1st

Coach: Dave Fish

Key Players: Senior Mitty Arnold; Junior Tom Blake

1997

Harvard prides itself on a lengthy history and time-honored traditions. Unfortunately the college sports world has a short memory--a champion's reign lasts only one year and freshman phenoms quickly replace graduated seniors.

In the sports world, the question is always, "What have you done for me lately?" not, "What have you done in the last century?"

Even the most ardent Crimson sports fan or Harvard historian would be hard-pressed to remember the last time a member of the men's tennis team advanced to the semifinals of the NCAA Championships before the 1997 success of the doubles team of senior Mitty Arnold and junior Tom Blake.

The team of Arnold and Blake produced one of the best Harvard runs through the national championships in decades, reaching the semifinals before losing to Tim Blenkiron and Luke Smith of the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, at UCLA's Los Angeles Tennis Center.

Although Harvard dominated the national tournament throughout the first quarter of the 20th century, no player had previously reached the national semifinals in singles or doubles during the 21-year tenure of coach Dave Fish '72.

Historical records are incomplete, but it is believed that the last time a Harvard player advanced this far in a national tourney was during the 1920s or 1930s.

While the triumphs of Harvard tennis that opened the century are yesterday's news, the stellar play of Arnold and Blake in this year's tournament provides an appropriate bookend.

Arnold and Blake began their march to the final four with a 6-4, 7-6 (1) defeat of Middle Tennessee State's Anthony DeLuise and Fredric Niemeyer in the first round. Next, the tandem posted a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Ed Carter and Sergio Elias of Arizona State.