NCAA Men’s Tennis Championships : Stanford in Final Against the Home Team--Georgia

When the National Collegiate Athletic Assn. moves its men’s tennis tournament to Indian Wells next May, one West Coast team won’t be cheering the change. Stanford has made the University of Georgia’s Henry Feild Stadium its home away from home since the tournament set up shop here in 1977.

Routinely playing a tape of “Georgia on My Mind” in practice each spring, the Cardinal has cruised to seven national titles. Today, they will go for their eighth, this time against the host Bulldogs. A crowd of 5,000 is expected.

Top-ranked Stanford reached the final for the ninth time since 1977 by disposing of South Carolina in Monday’s semifinals, 5-2.

Georgia defeated Texas Christian, 5-1. The Bulldogs have needed only the singles matches to close out all three of their victories. That has not been done since 1978 when Stanford marched to the title.

With boisterous crowd support, Georgia has won the title twice since 1985, both times over UCLA. Stanford won in 1988 and 1986.

Georgia’s recent home-court advantage is a major reason the site of the tournament will rotate after next year.

“The crowd’s not on the court playing,” Stanford’s Martin Blackman said. “I don’t think the crowd can influence the match that much if the other team doesn’t let it.”

Blackman and Jeff Cathrall, at No. 2 doubles, came up with the clinching victory for Stanford. After breezing through singles with a 4-2 lead--thanks in part to the withdrawal of South Carolina’s Johan Karlen because of an ankle injury--the Cardinal fell behind quickly in the first set of each doubles match.

At No. 1 and No. 3, South Carolina appeared in control, and it became apparent that the semifinal would be determined at No. 2.

South Carolina’s Steve Longley and Richard Lynch were serving with a 5-4 lead in the first set. But Cathrall and Blackman rallied to win the game and subsequently the set in a tiebreaker. They took the match, 7-6 (7-5), 6-1.