Hot netters look to roll over Waves
By Mark Shapiro
Daily Bruin Contributor
The tide is coming in and the Waves are rolling into
Westwood.
In what will be its first true test of the season, the UCLA
men’s tennis team faces seventh ranked and undefeated Pepperdine
University today at 1:30 p.m. at the Los Angeles Tennis Center.
It was only a year ago that a confident Bruin squad took on a
Pepperdine team similar to this one, only to be half-drowned by a
6-1 Wave deluge – a defeat that serves as a key motivator for this
year’s team.
"6-1, we got our butts kicked," UCLA head coach Billy Martin
said. "I certainly hope the guys will remember that and get their
dandruff up and return the favor. They’ve got to be ready to
compete. It’s got to mean something to them."
The recent history building up to this match has also been
something to marvel at. Of the last four matches between the two
schools, three have come down to a third set in the final match to
determine the winner.
"We’ve had so many tough matches with them, coming down to the
last match, last set," Martin said. "We’ve had some real
nailbiters, so we know that they will be good and they always come
ready to play us."
The next intriguing element in this matchup is the return of
Pepperdine head coach Glenn Bassett. Bassett, who coached the
Bruins for 27 years and brought seven national championships to
Westwood, makes his first appearance in the Los Angeles Tennis
Center since he retired from the Bruin helm in 1993.
This homecoming has tremendous significance for the team, as
Bassett is one of the program’s patriarchs and even coached Martin
during his playing days.
"It’s good in that any time you’re playing your old coach, you
want to make sure your team is as good as the guy you took over
from," Martin said. "It’s bad in that it’s kind of hard to compete
and get as feisty as you would against someone you don’t have the
respect for like we do for Coach Bassett."
The stacked Pepperdine lineup, which has steamed out of the
blocks to a 5-0 record, is led by junior Simon Aspelin, who has
posted impressive results against UCLA in the past. Backing him
will be the likes of Chris Hill and Michael Jessup, who between
them have posted nine victories without a single defeat. These
three head a lineup that will give the Bruin squad its first
significant test, a test they have long been awaiting.
"We’ve been looking ahead at this date," Martin said. "This is
going to be as good a test as we’ll have all year and it will let
us know where we stand with other good teams and what we need to
work on."
The Bruin squad will be slowed a bit because it hasn’t played a
dual match in nearly two weeks due to inclement weather. But in
looking at the team’s tear through its early season matches en
route to a 4-0 record, this doesn’t seem to be as big a
concern.
"This is the match we’re looking forward to," junior Eric Taino
said. "The other matches are good matches to start off with, but
not exciting."
Junior Jason Thompson was quick to echo these sentiments.
"It’s going to be fun. I don’t think that any of the matches
before are going to have anything to do with the Pepperdine match
by the time everyone steps out on the court."
The top of the Bruin lineup should be the perfect foil to the
stacked Pepperdine list. No. 1 Justin Gimelstob and No. 2 Srdjan
Muskatirovic are both undefeated on the year and have completely
recovered from their respective ailments, leaving them ready to try
to post their first victories of the season against able
competition.
"This is the first challenge and I expect a good match,"
Muskatirovic said. "I’m getting better and better every single day
and that is what gives me confidence."
At No. 3 looms Taino, who has been on a tear since the beginning
of the season. His run culminated in a quarterfinal berth at the
Palm Springs Invitational and he will once again be called on to
continue his torrid play against the undefeated Jessup.
"I think I’m at a good level," Taino said. "Everyone’s going to
be ready to play so I think everyone will play well."
This will also mark the first match in which the doubles point
will play a key role. Pepperdine’s doubles squads, which are among
the finest in the nation, have posted a 12-3 overall record on the
year, results that are mirrored by the Bruins’ 10-2 record. The key
to UCLA’s success in doubles will be whether the number two team of
Thompson and junior Eric Lin has shaken off its recent cobwebs and
can return to its early-season form.
"We haven’t been lighting the world on fire since fall,"
Thompson said. "I think we’re playing better, we’re moving a lot
better. It will be easier for us to play against Pepperdine than
any of the other teams."
SHAWN LAKSMI
Junior Eric Taino will face Pepperdine’s undefeated Michael
Jessup at the No. 3 singles spot when the Bruins take on the Waves
today at the Los Angeles Tennis Center.
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