BY DAVE SCHUTTE
Enquirer contributor
Craig Boynton's streak is at 18, and he has three titles to prove it. Boynton ran his singles record in the Thomas E. Price Metropolitan tennis tournament to 18-0 with a 6-3, 6-4 victory Sunday over Dan Kronauge in the championship match at Lunken Playfield.
"I had no strategy planned for Dan," said the 34-year-old Boynton who also won the Met in 1995 and 1997. "The only strategy I had was to come out and hit big, move the ball around and be aggressive." In a match that lasted one hour and fifteen minutes, Boynton was in control from the outset. He broke Kronauge at 3-2 in the first set and went on to win 6-3.
"My legs never felt good today, and I didn't feel strong," Kronauge said. "I was afraid to move my feet on returning serves because I thought I would cramp up and get tired."
Boynton broke Kronauge at 2-2 of the second set, then served out to take the set and the championship.
When Kronauge's final shot went long, Boynton threw both arms in the air. It was the most emotion the former touring professional and teaching pro at The Club at Harper's Point has shown.
"It was more of a relief than a celebration," Boynton said. "Every tournament has its own personality. I set the standard last year, and it was hard living up to it."
Boynton's play was outstanding throughout the tournament. His serve was broken only three times in six matches.
Boynton just continued his strong play from last year, when he finished with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Cury Josselyn in the title match.
"Everyone's expectations of me were high, but the crowd seemed to be pulling for the underdog this year," Boynton said. "I tried to neutralize this by not giving it much thought."
Boynton said the final game of the second set was the turning point of the match. Leading 5-4 and serving for the match, Boynton fell behind love-40 but rallied to win on a cross-court backhand. "At love-30, I ran Dan all over the court before he came up with a great shot to go up love-40," Boynton said. "My philosophy at that point was to move it around and make him earn it. I could tell his legs were tired from the previous point and I then won the next three points."
After fighting off the three break points, Boynton hit the winner. Throughout the match, Boynton never lost composure while Kronauge allowed several close calls by the officials to bother him.
"My return was not a factor today and neither was my serve," Kronauge said. "I'd say I got less than 50 percent of my first serves in today."
Boynton wasn't sure if he would go for a fourth title next year. "My wife, Teri, expressed an interest in playing this year," Boynton said. "But with two children, one of us has to babysit. If Teri wants to play next year, I may sit out and watch the children." Teri Boynton won the women's tournament in 1994 and 1996.
