Feb. 4, 2005

Urbana, Ill. - For the fourth straight time, the No. 5 Fighting Illini men's tennis team took care of national power No. 9 Duke with a 5-2 victory in front of 757 fans at Atkins Tennis Center. Strong performances up and down the young line-up helped improve the programs longest home winning streak to 35 matches.

"At the very beginning we told our players, we are young and a little inexperienced, but all we wanted them to do was come out and fight, fight, fight, and they did it," said Illinois Head Coach Craig Tiley following the 5-2 victory. "This is a big win for us. I know we are in pretty good shape when are young players are doing that against a top-ten. Duke is the same team as last year, plus the addition of a couple good players. I know we are a tough place to play, but to beat them 5-2, with a whole new group is great. The future looks bright if we can be in this position."

Illinois' under-classmen revealed the team's depth as sophomore GD Jones and freshmen Kevin Anderson, Monte Tucker and Ruben Gonzales provided all four of the team's singles wins. Anderson gave the team its first singles point behind a dominating 6-3, 6-1 win over No. 106 Stephen Amritraj. Amritraj, knotted the match at 3-3 in the first set, but Anderson won nine of the last ten games to finish off the Blue Devil. After joining the team this winter break, Anderson has not lost a match for the Orange and Blue going a perfect 6-0.

Tucker's ace in the 10th game of the second set at the No. 4 spot against, last season All-American Jason Zimmermann, clinched the 5-2 victory over the Blue Devils. Tucker, 11-4 this season, claimed the first set 6-3 and broke serve in a crucial ninth game in the second set to lead 5-4, before ending the match 6-4. Jones, ranked No. 42 went the distance against No. 52 Jonathan Stokke at No. 2 and outlasted the Blue Devil, 7-6 (5), 6-7 (4), (10-3). Gonzales improved to 10-2 after dominating Charles Brezac, 6-1, 6-4 at No. 6.

A year ago, the Illini were dominant in doubles, but the Blue Devil's had Illinois' number beating them in doubles in both meetings. This year was a different story, as Illinois took two of three to take the crucial doubles point. As a result of the injuries, the Fighting Illini were forced to shuffle its doubles line-up. In Ryan Rowe's first collegiate match, he teamed with Jones and dominated Zimmermann and Amritraj 8-2 at the No. 2 slot. Illinois' crucial win came at No. 1 from Ryler DeHeart and Anderson over 15th ranked Stokke and Rodrigues. In a back-and-forth battle that saw each team hold serve every time but once, the Fighting Illini duo escaped in a 9-8 (3) tie-breaking win.

Between the doubles and singles matches tonight was a special presentation that does not come along very often. David and Meredith Mills, strong supporters of the men's tennis program, announced the endowment for $1 million that will establish the David and Meredith Mills Endowed Head Tennis Coach Fund.

"It is the fourth coaching endowment on this campus, including football, basketball and men's golf," said Tiley. "We are in an elite company of being only a few that have something like this. This is an unbelievably generous gift. However, it's not about the money with the Mills family, they attend all of the matches, talk with the guys and it's about their support. The money is great, it's a huge deal, but what means the most to the guys is their support."

Illinois will face another tough challenge tomorrow hosting No. 34 Texas. The Orange and Blue have never beaten the Longhorns in their previous seven meetings and will look to change history tomorrow at Atkins Tennis Center at 6 p.m. The Longhorns will be entering with a 2-0 record after beating No. 25 Notre Dame 4-3, this evening.

Today's Results
No. 5 Illinois 5, No. 9 Duke 2

Doubles:

1. Ryler DeHeart/Kevin Anderson (ILL)  def.  No. 15 Jonathan Stokke/Peter Rodrigues (DUKE)      9-8 (3)
2. Ryan Rowe/GD Jones (ILL) def. Jason Zimmermann/Stephen Amritraj (DUKE)     8-2
3. Ludovic Walter/Charles Brezac (DUKE) def. Evan Zeder/Monte Tucker (ILL)     6-8  

Singles:

1.  No. 6  Ludovic Walter(DUKE) def. No. 2 Ryler DeHeart (ILL)        6-2, 6-2
2.  No. 42  GD Jones (ILL) def. No. 52  Jonathan Stokke (DUKE)        7-6 (5), 6-7 (4), (10-3)
3.  Kevin Anderson (ILL) def. No. 106 Stephen Amritraj (DUKE)        6-3, 6-1
4.  Monte Tucker (ILL) def. Jason Zimmermann (DUKE)        6-3, 6-4
5.  Peter Rodrigues (DUKE) def. Evan Zeder (ILL)        6-2, 6-2
6.  Ruben Gonzales (ILL) def. Charles Brezac (DUKE)        6-1, 6-4Order of Finish: 1, 3, 5, 6, 4, 2