May 15, 2004
The top-ranked Illini men's tennis team began its NCAA title defense today at the UI Atkins Tennis Center with a 4-0 victory over No. 60 Western Michigan. This was the sixth time in a row when Illinois has hosted the first two rounds of the tournament. In those six years the Fighting Illini are 6-0 in the opening round and have not relinquished a single team point to the opposition. Illinois is now 17-7 all-time in the NCAA Tournament since its first appearance in 1996.
"We knew that Western Michigan wasn't like the first round opponents that we've had the past," said Illinois Head Coach Craig Tiley. "They beat Michigan State, and that was a team that we played close, so we knew they weren't going to be a pushover."
The start of today's match was delayed 45 minutes due to light misty conditions and wet courts. Doubles competition was held indoors because of the conditions, but singles competition took place outdoors. At the start of singles, the temperature was 54 degrees with a 10 mph wind.
"It's never easy," said sophomore Ryler DeHeart of the transition between doubles and singles. "We have to be ready for anything. We went indoors; most of us are a little more comfortable inside. Then it was a big shock coming outdoors to finish the match. Those are things that you have to deal with, and it only makes you stronger."
The Orange and Blue took full advantage of competing indoors for doubles. Every Illinois tandem jumped out to a 1-0 lead and never looked back. The right-handed GD Jones and left-handed DeHeart tallied the first victory for Illinois by an 8-1 count over Jeff French and Dan Grupp. Since forming as a team in mid-season, the duo is a perfect 16-0. Not long after DeHeart and Jones ended, Michael Calkins and Chris Martin secured the early 1-0 lead for the team by defeating Tommy Dennis and Brady Crosby, 8-3. Calkins and Martin are now 22-5 and have won 12 of their last 13 matches together.
"We played great in doubles, which is how we wanted to start," said Tiley. "Singles was a little adjustment going outdoors, but we got the adjustment we needed."
Brian Wilson played in doubles with Phil Stolt; the senior duo let, 7-3, when their match was abandoned as the Illini clinched the doubles point. Tiley kept Wilson, the No. 1 player in the nation, out of singles as a precautionary measure. The San Marcos, Calif., native had a little soreness in his neck after having slipped on a leaf at practice Wednesday afternoon.
"Brian's fine," Tiley asserted. "If we would have lost the doubles point, we would have used him in singles. But there was no use in taking the chance that he might strain it in singles if we played him. We plan to have him compete in both singles and doubles tomorrow."
DeHeart, ranked No. 121, carried his momentum from doubles into singles. He breezed through his two sets, beating Dennis 6-0, 6-2, at No. 2. Today's victory was his 22nd during the spring season (which is the best on the team); it was his 28th of the entire season. At No. 4, Martin faced a 0-3 deficit but rallied to win the next five to grab a 5-3 first-set lead before winning the set, 6-4, over Crosby. He extended the momentum from the first into a dominating 6-1 win in the second to clinch his match. Illinois' clinching victory came from Jones at No. 5. The freshman from New Zealand jumped out to an early lead and won his first set, 6-2, and followed with a 6-4 second-set win.
"It's a different atmosphere," said Jones about competing in his first NCAA Tournament. "It's something that we have worked four-and-a-half months for. It was so exciting to get the mission underway and play well."
Illinois will continue its national title hunt tomorrow at the Atkins Tennis Center at noon CST. The hosts will face the winner of today's Louisville-Arizona State match.
The Illini had neither a prediction nor a preference for whom they would play tomorrow.
"They've been waiting all year to be at this position and I have no worry about firing them up tomorrow," said Tiley.
NCAA Tournament First Round
at No. 1 Illinois 4, No. 60 Western Michigan 0
Doubles:
1. #5 Brian Wilson/Phil Stolt (ILL) vs. Ravishankar Pathanjali/Jose Orozco (WMU) abandoned at ILL 7-3
2. Michael Calkins/Chris Martin (ILL) def Tommy Dennis/Brady Crosby (WMU) 8-3
3. Ryler DeHeart/GD Jones (ILL) def. Jeff French/Dan Grupp (WMU) 8-1
order of finish: 3, 2
Singles:
1. #51 Phil Stolt (ILL) vs. #111 Ravi Pathanjali (WMU) 3-6, 6-3, abandoned at 1-0 ILL
2. #121 Ryler DeHeart (ILL) def. Tommy Dennis (WMU) 6-0, 6-2
3. #104 Michael Calkins (ILL) vs. Jose Orozco (WMU) 4-6, 6-1, abandoned at 3-2 ILL
4. #95 Chris Martin (ILL) def. Brady Crosby (WMU) 6-4, 6-1
5. GD Jones (ILL) def. Justin Kates (WMU) 6-2, 6-4
6. Evan Zeder vs. Jeff French (WMU) 5-7, abandoned at 4-4 ILL
order of finish: 2, 4, 5
