Nov. 4, 2003
Michael Calkins and Chris Martin will compete in the 2003 ITA National Intercollegiate Indoor Championships this weekend, Nov. 6-9 in Ann Arbor, Mich. For the second year in a row Calkins will be competing in the doubles bracket of the tournament. Last year Calkins and senior Amer Delic won the consolation championship by defeating David Lingham and Mark Riddell of Harvard.
This year Calkins will enter the tournament with a new partner, Martin. By winning the ITA Midwest Regional doubles title last week, the duo secured a spot in this weekend's indoor nationals. The ITA Midwest Championships was the first tournament this season in which the duo had played together; they went 6-0 to take the title.
"It is great to have two players competing in the National Indoor Championships," said UI Head Coach Craig Tiley. "It points to the depth that we have in this program."
Calkins' dominance has not been in his doubles play alone. He has been overpowering on the singles side as well. One of three Illini in the ITA regional singles semifinals, Calkins earned his tournament berth by advancing to the final. In the championship match, Calkins was defeated by the National Indoors No. 5 seed, Jeremy Wurtzman of Ohio State, 7-6 (8), 4-6, 6-3.
This will be the first time that Calkins will be competing in the National Indoors as a singles participant. Last year the Orange and Blue saw Delic advance to the singles final where he was defeated by Benedikt Dorsch of Baylor. Delic went on to beat Dorsch for the NCAA Singles championship last May.
"It is always tough to repeat what you have accomplished before," continued Tiley. "Our expectations are the same as any other event, which is to win.
"It is a national tournament, so we know from the first round it will be challenging," he cotinued. "However, the event is missing one of the best players in the country, (Illinois') Phil Stolt (injury), this weekend. Other than that it will be tough competition."
Calkins will begin competition Thursday morning in the 32-player singles field, which consists of all regional champions and runners-up, along with 14 at-large berths. Calkins and Martin will compete in a 16-doubles team bracket which gets under way when singles action ends on Thursday.
The National Indoor Championships is the second of three national championships for the collegiate season.
Complete brackets and results will be available on-line at www.itatennis.com, while Illinois results can be followed at www.fightingillini.com.
