University of Illinois
ITA Midwest Regional Championships
Rowe Qualifies for ITA National Indoors
October 22, 2007 | Men's Tennis
Oct. 22, 2007
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - Senior Ryan Rowe of the Illinois men's tennis team upended No.66-ranked Brett Helgeson of Notre Dame (6-1, 6-4) in the semifinals of the Wilson/Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Midwest Regional Championships to earn a berth into the regional finals today in Minneapolis. There, the Illini senior retired from his title match against No. 13-seeded Justin Kronauge of Ohio State, however, by virtue of his appearance in the finals will receive an automatic berth into the ITA National Intercollegiate Indoor Tennis Championships Nov. 1-4.
For Rowe and sophomore Billy Heiser, their doubles title run came to an end at the hands of No. 1-seeded Drew Eberly and Kronauge of Ohio State, as the Illini battled down to the wire before falling, 9-8(5), in the semifinals today at the Baseline Tennis Center on the campus of the University of Minnesota.
While the match was an up-and-down affair for both teams, it was Ohio State who jumped out to a quick 3-1 lead off a break of serve. However, Rowe and Heiser, who are now 5-1 on the young season, broke OSU twice down the stretch to take a 7-6 lead and serve for the match. Yet, the tables turned again, as OSU broke to level the affair at 7-all before prevailing in the match tiebreak, 7-5.
For Rowe, the automatic invitation into the ITA's final championship of the season marks another milestone in the senior's veteran career. The prestigious event will bring together the nation's top collegiate players into one event, marking the only indoor singles and doubles championships of the calendar year.
The singles and doubles champions from the nine different regional sites around the country will earn automatic bids into the ITA National Indoors, held in Columbus, Ohio at the Racquet Club of Columbus. The ITA National Indoors is the second of college tennis' three majors (ITA All-Americans, ITA National Indoors, NCAA Championships), and the most difficult to gain entry into due to a small field of 32 singles entrants and 16 doubles entrants.
"Overall, this was a great tournament for our guys," associate head coach George Husack said. "We wanted to come out and win both the singles and doubles title, but for Heiser and Rowe to come out and play the way they did in only their second tournament together was great."
ILLINOIS ITA MIDWEST REGIONAL RESULTS
SINGLES
First Round - Qualifying Singles
Nick Boulieris (MARQ) def. Jordan Knue - 7-6, 6-4
Ra'ees Ismail (XU) def. Calon Alpar (ILL) - 6-3, 6-0
Round of 64 - Main Draw
No. 3-seed Ryan Rowe (ILL) def. Trenton Hagan (MARQ) - 6-3, 6-3
Reinoud Haal (IOWA) def. Brandon Davis (ILL) - 7-6, 7-5
No. 13-seed Justin Kronauge (OSU) def. Billy Heiser (ILL) - 6-4, 7-5
Round of 32 - Main Draw
No. 3-seed Ryan Rowe (ILL) def. Alex Forger (MSU) - 6-0, 6-3
Round of 16 - Main Draw
No. 3-seed Ryan Rowe (ILL) def. No. 11-seed Mike Scroczynski (MICH) - 7-6(4), 6-4
Quarterfinals - Main Draw
No. 3-seed Ryan Rowe (ILL) def. No. 14-seed Drew Eberly (OSU) - 6-3 6-4
Semifinals - Main Draw
No. 3-seed Ryan Rowe (ILL) def. No. 9-seed Brett Helgeson (ND) - 6-1, 6-4
Finals - Main Draw
No. 12-seed Justin Kronauge (OSU) over No. 3-seed Ryan Rowe (ILL) - WD (Inj.)
DOUBLES
Round of 64 - Main
No. 4-seed Billy Heiser/Ryan Rowe (ILL) def. Trenton Hagan/Dusan Medan (MARQ) - 8-5
Brandon Davis/Jordan Knue (ILL) def. Walker Grimes/Greg Holm (IOWA) - 8-4
Round of 32 - Main
No. 4-seed Billy Heiser/Ryan Rowe (ILL) def. Andy Lockhart/Sebastian Lystad (UIC) - 8-3
No. 5-seed Alex Birchmeier/Bryan Norville (WMU) def. Brandon Davis/Jordan Knue (ILL) - 8-6
Round of 16 - Main Draw
No. 4-seed Billy Heiser/Ryan Rowe (ILL) def. Jimmy Chu/Alex Friesen (NIU) - 8-4
Quarterfinals - Main Draw
No. 4-seed Billy Heiser/Ryan Rowe (ILL) def. No. 8-seed JP Ritchie/Bart Van Maonsjou (IOWA) - 8-2
Semifinals - Main Draw
No. 1-seed Drew Eberly/Justin Kronauge (OSU) def. No. 4-seed Billy Heiser/Ryan Rowe (ILL) - 9-8(5)
