Long Matches Don’t ‘Ad’ Up in USD Tennis

If anyone ever wanted to make a case for abolishing the current scoring format in college tennis, check with University of San Diego’s tennis coaches after last weekend.

Men’s Coach Ed Collins watched his team lose a 5 1/2-hour match Friday to No. 3 Stanford, 5-4. Fredrik Aksater’s 7-5, 6-7 (7-4), 6-1 victory over Stanford’s Michael Flanagen lasted 3 1/2 hours.

Saturday, the Toreros upset 12th-ranked California, 5-2, in a four-hour match suspended when USD clinched the match. The Toreros’ Kevin Bradley beat Dan Hiddleson, 6-0, 3-6, 7-5, in another 3 1/2-hour marathon that included a 30-minute game to start the match.

“There must have been 30 deuces,” Collins said. “When the players went to change sides, Hiddleson had to change his shirt.”

USD’s Jose Luis Noriega was already playing the second game of his second set by the time Bradley and Hiddleson began their second game.

But the men’s marathon matches had nothing on the USD women’s match against Pepperdine on Saturday. It took 6 1/2 hours. The singles matches began on the West Courts at 1:30 p.m. and ended in darkness at almost 6. When the lights wouldn’t work on the West courts, the doubles matches were moved to the East courts. Finally, at 7:53 p.m., the match ended with Pepperdine winning, 6-3.

Heard enough about long tennis matches?

Collins has.

“I’m all in favor of shortening the length of the matches,” he said. “It takes too much out of the kids to play that kind of match, then have to go play a doubles match and then try to study. The matches also don’t present a start-to-finish sports package for the spectator.”

Collins said the current ad scoring format--meaning deuce games--is too long.

“Most people leave after the singles matches, before the match is determined,” he said. “The real exciting doubles matches that determine the winner of the match are often played in darkness with nobody there.”

Before the Intercollegiate Tennis Assn. implemented the ad-scoring format in 1989, the no-ad scoring system-- no deuce games--was used for six years. But Collins didn’t like that much either.

“A lot of people felt the ad-scoring system was the essence of the game,” he said. “The no-ad changed the complexion of the game. It also made people a little more conservative and it wasn’t how the pros played, so it made the transition harder for the college player.

Collins favors a format that will be used in the Blue-Gray tournament this spring.

If one team has four victories after six singles matches, the match is over. If the match is tied, three eight-game doubles sets determine the winner.

Ragger’s Rail in left: Aztec baseball Coach Jim Dietz, a tireless worker and fund raiser, has been trying for years to get a state-of-the-art stadium built at San Diego State. Well, Dietz has not yet found the miracle he has been hoping to get, but it does appear that the university is at least building him some luxury sky boxes . . . sort of.

A new high-rise dormitory is currently under construction in what used to be a parking lot beyond the left field fence at Smith Field. At least 40% of the building’s new occupants will have a spectacular view of all baseball games below.

In addition, if used properly, the building could make for a nice complement to the folks who normally sit along a walkway known as Ragger’s Rail beyond the right field fence.

“Hawaii has a dorm like this at their place, and it’s always tough playing there,” Aztec first baseman Jason Ledford said. “They have guys who sit up there with giant mirrors and try to blind us when we’re out there.”

Not counting free labor: SDSU’s baseball team raised more than $21,000 at its annual card show Saturday, according to Dietz. Last year’s show netted $3,000.

Should have skipped the show: Because of a scheduling conflict, the San Diego State women’s basketball team played a rare afternoon game Thursday at Texas El Paso. Aztec Coach Beth Burns didn’t mind one bit.

After burying the Miners, 82-64, the Aztecs were treated to a Harlem Globetrotters game.

“That was a nice treat,” Burns said, “but it was strange to play a game so early in the day.”

Two nights later, the Aztecs went out and imitated the Washington Generals, turning the ball over 32 times in an 82-73 loss to Creighton. Starting guards Falisha Wright and Michelle Miles combined for 17 turnovers.