Backhand Puts Lin in the Forefront at Sectionals

While it will never be compared to Stefan Edberg’s, Erin Lin’s backhand was more than adequate Monday.

It held up under some intense conditions and even bailed Anaheim’s Lin out of some sticky situations in his 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 victory over top-seeded Glenn Weiner of Cypress in the Southern California Tennis Assn. Junior Sectional boys’ 18 final at Los Caballeros Racquet Club.

“It’s still the weak part of his game, but it’s getting better,” said Sam Olson, Lin’s coach. “We’ve been working on it.”

Weiner, Lin’s doubles partner and close friend, also worked on it hard throughout the two-hour match. Whenever possible, Weiner stayed away from Lin’s powerful forehand.

During the first and second set, most of Lin’s backhands either flew lazily over the net or landed well outside the court. But in the third set, he began whistling backhand service returns and passing shots past a charging Weiner.

“I just stayed in and hit it,” Lin said of his backhand. “I didn’t think about it. If I would have, I’d have probably been missing it. I kind of got grooved on his serve and that made it easier.”

Lin appeared more relieved than anything at the emergence of his backhand.

“Finally,” he sighed. “I give my coach, Sam Olson, a lot of credit.”

But Lin, seeded third in the tournament, should take some too. He beat Weiner, the top-ranked player in the nation, after taking a two-month break from competition because of an elbow injury.

“I’m not sure if the layoff helped him physically, but I think it did help his mind,” Olson said. “It’s hard to concentrate constantly. The rest helped him peak mentally for this.”

Lin was able to concentrate despite joking with Weiner during changeovers.

“When we’re playing, we’re not giving each other anything,” said Lin, who was beaten by Weiner in last year’s sectionals. “But once it’s over, we can laugh about it.”

Second-seeded Faye DeVera of Villa Park didn’t have much to laugh about in the girls’ 14 finals as she lost to top-seeded Erin Bosclair of Agoura, 6-2, 6-0.

“Every time I play her, she’s seems to play her best,” DeVera said. “I mean, she was hitting winners from three feet behind the baseline.”