HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS / CITY CHAMPIONSHIPS : Doubles Teams Propel Palisades to Boys’ Title

Bud Kling, the boys’ tennis coach at Palisades High, knew there was little his singles players could do against Dylan Mann of Woodland Hills Taft, but he figured he could rely on his doubles teams.

He was right. Palisades didn’t lose a doubles match and the Dolphins defeated Taft, 19 1/2-10, Thursday for the City Section Division 4-A team title at the Studio City Racquet Centre.

Kling teamed his former No. 1 singles player, Brian Friedman, with Jason Ebin, his No. 1 doubles player, and although they had never played together, they won all three of their matches.

“Brian has had really bad tendinitis in his shoulder,” Kling said. “He puts one of those electric therapy machines on his shoulder during the breaks and he just gutted it out.”

Another who gutted it out for the Dolphins was Danny Westerman, the No. 3 singles player. Westerman won three of his four matches, counting among his victims Taft’s No. 2 singles player, Golan Sassoon. Westerman was also the only player on his team to take a game from Mann.

Mann, ranked 27th nationally by the United States Tennis Assn., overpowered his opponents with his strong serve-and-volley game. Against Josh Krauss, one of his serves almost pulled the racket out of Krauss’ hand.

In the 3-A final, Eagle Rock defeated Birmingham, 17 1/2-12, giving Coach Hal Stepteau his fifth boys’ title in his 24-year career.

Ron Jimenez led the Eagles by winning three of his four matches. Jimenez said his performance was sweet redemption for missing his team’s match in last year’s playoffs.

“I had to attend a function at UCLA last year,” Jimenez said. “We lost and I thought it was partially my fault. I’m glad I got a second chance this year.”