Cheney Nets Men’s 45 Tennis Title

Brian Cheney said he had to “hang in there” to have a chance to beat two-time champion Charlie Hoeveler in the singles final of the U. S. Tennis Assn. National Men’s 45 Hard Court Championships here Sunday.

It certainly didn’t look that way.

Top-seeded Cheney, a Santa Monica native who resides in Chandler, Ariz., beat Hoeveler, 6-4, 6-2, at the Westlake Tennis & Swim Club. Hoeveler’s only chance for success, it seemed, was by not letting Cheney return it.

Period.

Hoeveler, a finesse player, played keep-away with Cheney by hitting lobs and drop shots. “(Hoeveler will) get his opponents tired because he’s a tremendous athlete,” said Cheney, 46.

Hoeveler, 49, gave Cheney trouble early. But late in the first set, Cheney saw that he could take some shooting angles away from Hoeveler.

Leading, 5-4, Cheney served out the set with an aggressive love game.

Then on set point, Cheney moved under a 20-foot-high lob and smashed it down the line.

“I don’t think I played badly,” Hoeveler said. “He’s just a level above anybody I played in this tournament.”

The second set opened with Hoeveler losing on serve then wasting a break point on Cheney’s first serve to trail, 2-0.