Jan. 14, 2008

Complete Results

TEMPE, Ariz. - The 2007 NCAA finalist Illinois men's tennis team kicked off the season right at the Arizona State Spring Invitational, tabbing a total of nine singles and doubles wins as a team in a field that featured No. 7 Texas, No. 8 Illinois, No. 32 Rice and No. 46 Arizona State. The three-day event, hosted on the campus of Arizona State, pitted some of the top singles and doubles competition in the country, including eight top-100 players in singles and five top-50 doubles tandems.

Individually, No. 70 -ranked Billy Heiser had the best performance of an Illini on the weekend, going a perfect 3-0 in singles and 3-0 in doubles with a combined two different partners. Overall, Heiser's singles results included knocking out two higher-ranked opponents, including his best match over No. 24 Kellen Damico of No. 7 Texas, 6-7(6), 7-5, 10-7. The Vernon Hills, Ill., native also opened the tournament with a win over No. 45 Ralph Knupfer of Rice, 6-3, 7-6(2).

Heiser's top doubles performance came with senior Brandon Davis, as the two paired up for the first time this season to take down No. 12-ranked Ed Corrie and Hubert Chodkiewicz of Texas in their season debut, 8-4. Heiser also joined with senior Ryan Rowe - the nation's No. 34-ranked doubles pair - to post victories over Rice's Knupfer and Christoph Muller, 8-2, and the Arizona State duo of Wes Miller and John Nanosky II, 9-8(7).

Other Illini superlative include Rowe and senior Ruben Gonzales joining forces in their first doubles match together this season, upsetting No. 14-ranked Kellen Damico and Louis Diaz Barriga of Texas, 8-4.

Gonzales is making his first appearance on the courts in 2008, sitting out the fall season to hone his skills by playing in professional tournaments. Another familiar face returning to the Illini roster was junior 2007 NCAA All-Tournament team selection Marc Spicijaric, who used the event to shake off his season-opening jitters in his first singles matches of the year.

Illinois next hits the courts when they host Ball State on Friday, Jan. 18, at 6 p.m. at the Atkins Tennis Center. The Illini look to defend their 14-match home win streak, dating back to April 2006, when the Cardinals come to town to face Illinois in its season dual opener.

ASU SPRING INVITATIONAL RESULTS

Gold Flight:
Day One:
Bruno Rosa (Rice) def. Ruben Gonzales (Illinois) 4-6; 6-3; 6-2
#34 Christoph Műller (Rice) def. Marc Spicijaric (Illinois) 6-1; 6-0
#70 Billy Heiser (Illinois) def.#45 Ralph Knupfer (Rice) 6-3; 7-6 (2)
Brandon Davis (Illinois) def. Chong Wang (Rice) 6-0; 6-0

Day Two:
Wes Miller (ASU) def. Marc Spicijaric (Illinois) 6-3, 7-6 (6)
Ruben Gonzales (Illinois) def. Matt Brooklyn (ASU) 6-3, 7-6 (6)

Day Three:
#53 Dimitar Kutrovsky (Texas) def. Ruben Gonzalez (Illinois) 7-6 (4), 6-3
#52 Ed Corrie (Texas) def. #15 Ryan Rowe (Illinois) 7-6 (0), Ret.
#70 Billy Heiser (Illinois) def. #24 Kellen Damico (Texas) 6-7 (6), 7-5, 10-7
#70 Billy Heiser (Illinois) def. Juan Rebazza of Arizona State 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
Andres Arango (ASU) def. #15 Ryan Rowe (Illinois) 6-3, 3-6, 6-2

Maroon Flight:
Day One:
Filip Zivojinovic (Rice) def. Abe Souza (Illinois) 6-4; 7-5

Day Two:
T.J. Bellama (ASU) def. Brandon Davis (Illinois) 6-1, 7-6 (6)
John Nanosky II (ASU) def. Abe Souza (Illinois) 6-4, 3-6, 6-4

Day Three:
Miguel Reyes Varela (Texas) def. Brandon Davis (Illinois) 6-1, 7-6 (5)
Rook Schellenberg (Texas) def. Abe Souza (Illinois) 6-3, 6-4
Jonah Kane-West (Texas) def. Jordan Knue (Illinois) 7-5, 6-3

Sparky Doubles Flight:
Day One:
Brandon Davis / Ruben Gonzales (Illinois) def. Chong Wang/ Filip Zivojinovic (Rice) 8-0
#36 Billy Heiser / Ryan Rowe (Illinois) def. Ralph Knupfer/Christoph Műller (Rice) 8-2
Bruno Rosa/ Tobias Scheil (Rice) def. Abe Souza / Marc Spicijaric (Illinois) 8-5

Day Two:
Andres Aranco/Juan Carlos Rebaza (ASU) def. Abe Souza / Jordan Knue (Illinois) 8-5
T.J. Bellama/Matt Brooklyn (ASU) def. Brandon Davis / Ruben Gonzales (Illinois) 8-6
#34 Ryan Rowe / Billy Heiser (Illinois) def. Wes Miller/John Nanosky II (ASU) 9-8 (7)

Day Three:
Ruben Gonzalez / Ryan Rowe (Illinois) def. #14 Kellen Damico / Louis Diaz Barriga (Texas) 8-4
Brandon Davis / Billy Heiser (Illinois) def. #12 Ed Corrie/Hubert Chodkiewicz (Texas) 8-4
Josh Zavala / Bernhard Deussner (Texas) def. Jordan Knue / Abe Souza (Illinois) 8-4