College Tennis : UCLA Does Not Need to Double Up to End Stanford’s Win Streak, 5-1

Although the UCLA men’s tennis team was ranked No. 1 in the country, Coach Glenn Bassett was concerned before facing No. 7 Stanford Friday in a Pacific 10 Conference match at the Los Angeles Tennis Center in Westwood.

Bassett said he was worried because his doubles teams had not been challenged enough this season. Also, the Cardinal entered the match with six consecutive victories.

Because the Bruins had been winning their matches by overpowering their opponents in singles’ play Bassett was unsure how his doubles teams would respond in a close match.

That is a question left unanswered as the Bruins (20-1) dominated in singles to win, 5-1.

UCLA’s Buff Farrow rallied to win in No. 2 singles against Jeff Cathrall, 7-6, 4-6, 6-3, and help the Bruins take a 5-1 lead, clinching the match without needing to play doubles.

“We were nice visitors today,” Stanford Coach Dick Gould said. “We knew coming in that we would be playing a good team. UCLA is always a well-coached team, and this year is no different.”

The Bruins feature two players ranked in the top 10, Farrow (No. 6) and Brian Garrow (No. 10), and have the defending national doubles champions, Garrow and Pat Galbraith, who are ranked second this season.

Still, Bassett wonders how his doubles teams will do when they are really needed.

“It is great winning all these matches with just using our singles, but our doubles teams really need the work,” Bassett said.

Garrow and Galbraith are 12-0 in dual matches and 11-1 in tournaments, but the No. 2 team of Farrow and Bill Behrens is 1-0, and the No. 3 team of Bill Barber and Giora Payes is 4-1.

“We need the competition to keep us fine tuned,” Bassett said. “If we don’t play enough we will lose the edge.

“I think we will get the work we need tomorrow (today) when we play Berkeley. We will all have to play very well to beat them.”

UCLA is hoping to win its 16th national team championship, but its first since 1984. The Bruins may get an indication of their chances today when they play host to No. 2-ranked Cal. The Bears, who were ranked No. 1 before the Bruins passed them this week, lost Friday to USC, 5-4.