GRAND CHAMPIONS TENNIS AT RANCHO SAN CLEMENTE : Youth Is Served as Lloyd Wins the Final

Maybe it wasn’t the battle of the ages. But when John Lloyd and Hank Pfister played Sunday to decide the singles champion in the 35-and-over Prudential Bache Grand Champions tennis event, the advantages of youth were evident.

Lloyd, who at 35 was the youngest player competing in the event, defeated 36-year-old Pfister, 6-4, 6-2, at the Rancho San Clemente Tennis Club.

Neither Lloyd and Pfister, who both have retired from the Grand Prix tour, appeared out of shape as they ran down and returned many well-placed shots. “Not only are we the youngest,” said Pfister, “I think we train the hardest.”

In the early part of the match, it didn’t appear that the going was going to be easy for Lloyd. He and Pfister were returning serves well and hitting hard. Each broke the other’s serve in the first set.

After the early breaks, the two held serve until Lloyd broke Pfister in a game in which Pfister double-faulted to go ahead, 4-3. The break cost Pfister the set, but he had a chance to regain control early in the second set before faltering.

“He gave me three or four Christmas presents on big points,” Lloyd said.

Tied, 2-2, in the second set, Pfister lost his composure and his serve. One of his volleys went into the net and the next went long, prompting a vocal outburst.

“Come on,” Pfister said. “Make him earn it.” Pfister then double-faulted.

“You can’t do that,” said Pfister, who won $5,000 for second place. “It’s a flip of the coin. You can’t make three unforced errors and give him a break when you have lost the first set.”

Lloyd earned $7,000 and has won three of the five Grand Champions events that he has entered. This is his first year on the 10-event tour.

In the doubles final, Bob Lutz of San Clemente won a record 20th Grand Champions title, teaming with Sandy Mayer to defeat Sherwood Stewart and Kim Warwick, 1-6, 6-3, 7-5. Lutz and Mayer each won $1,400; Sherwood and Warwick shared $2,000.