The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1951-04-13

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There was a third player
on the hotel courts. 1t was
the wind, a gusty, mischiev-
louS creature that warped
shots and threw players
off balance and generally
got in the way of some
beautiful tennis. Lowering
skie S threatened rain
throughout the afternoon,
but held off until the last
match of the day was play
ed.
In the single Conch victory
HartenStine and Sellers fought
their way to the biggest upset in
Key West tennis history Both
local aces realized from the out
set that only incredibly sharp
volleying would enable them to
stay on the same court with Sam
Wright and Bobby Sierra. Both
were members of the top tennis
varsity in the nation, after all,
and Sierra was a former Orange
Bowl junior champion.
Both of the youngsters had
strokes like cannon shots, strokes
that cut through the capricious
wind so fast that they deviated
hardly at all Ut
In the first set, the games went
on service to 2 all, when Harlem
slime and Sellers began pounding
Wright's delivery at his feet as
he charged netward. Before the
youngster could recover, his de-
livery had been broken through
and the Key West team surged to
So, There the Conehs took long
chances with velleys I that at
times shot away from the court at
an angle of almost 80 degrees and
stayed on court only through a
combination of skill and chance.
Sierra was serving at this So
count. He wavered before the
barrage of volleys and dropped
the set 6-3.
Sellers was the only player of
the four to hold service through
out the match. He did this with
the assistance of Hartenstine'
rapier cross court volleys that
were accounting for fully one
third of the points outright This
was beyond doubt Sellers great
est exhibition of tennis. His net
game and court coverage arose in
this match to top flight level
On some points Hartenstine was
crossing from his alley position to
the opposite side of the court in
that brief moment when the OPP
position was in the act of strok-
ing the return.
In the No. / singles, Wright had
to go all the way to down Harlem
slime, So, 80, Ga. Even the ter
rifle gusts of wind couldn't dis
turb Wright's beautiful, bullet
drives. They cut through it as if
it weren't even blowing.
In the second set, Hartenstine
attained a greater length and one
to the net behind it. Or you might
say, he started for the net and
the wind blew him the rest of the
way.
At So of the second set, with
Wright serving, a fifteen minute
battle occurred around duce and
advantage points, This was con-
trary to all Miami expectations
that had placed Hartenstine's
chances on a par with a fly in a
DOT factory.
Hartenstine finally cracked a
forehand drive down the line to
take the set. He weakened in the
final set, however, and the match
went to the Miami ace.
In the number 2 singles, Coach
Van lost to Bobby Sierra, 81, 81,
Van played the finest tennis he
has shown since coming to Key
West. He held leads of SIS and
10 in the first set, after trailing
l-3. For a period of six games, ne
traded Sierra shot for shot from
the back court. A drop shot or an
occasional volley = anything to
break up Sierra's never ending
rhythm - would have done the
trick here.
In the number 8 singles, Leo
Fornero defeated John Cruz OIL,
GO. Although John played good
tennis he was simply overmatch-
ed against the Miami varsity man.
Sal Vincent, playing number 4
for Miami, defeated Don Cruz, 6-2,
Ga. In this match, young Cruz
displayed the sharpest tennis OF
his life, and won six games out
.-sol,f cit,ca tho Miami DlaVHr re-