WACO, Texas - Jared Hiltzik advanced to the round of 32 in the NCAA Singles Championships with a 7-6(3), 6-3, 6-2 win over Duke's Raphael Hemmeler Wednesday afternoon. The Illini's other singles qualifier,
Farris Gosea, was knocked out of the tournament with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 loss to [9-16] Quentin Monaghan of Notre Dame.
Hiltzik has now reached the Round of 32 twice in his three years qualifying for the Singles Championships. In the first set of Hiltzik's match, neither athlete gained momentum as each held serve throughout the match to force a tiebreak. Despite dropping the tiebreak 7-3, the junior quickly responded with an early break in the second set to go up 2-0. He then held serve on his way to a 6-3 second set win. The junior broke Hemmeler twice in the third set, once on the first game and another to go up 5-2 to serve out the match.
"Hemmeler is always tricky because he possesses such a strong variety of shots and he made a lot of them in the first set," head coach
Brad Dancer said. "He caused Jared a lot of problems. I thought Jared did a great job of resetting early in the second set, going back to basics and asserting himself with his position in the second and third sets. Jared will face another tricky lefty tomorrow. It will be another good challenge for him."
"It was hot and humid conditions out there and the beginning was a little bit of a shot to the system," junior
Jared Hiltziksaid. "But I competed really well the entire the time. I got a monkey off my back and won a third set, something I haven't done in awhile, which will give me some more confidence going forward."
Hiltzik will continue his tournament run Thursday vs. No. 9-16 Dominik Koepfer of Tulane. Koepfer, who is also a lefty, defeated Auburn's Lukas Ollert 7-6(7), 6-2 on Wednesday.
"You don't see too many lefties," Hiltzik said. "So to get one in the first round, it should help prepare me for tomorrow."
Gosea's opening-round loss marks the end of his illustrious career at Illinois. The 2014 Big Ten Player of the year was broken late in the first set, as Monaghan went up 5-4 to serve out the set. After being broken early and down 4-2 in the second set, Gosea quickly turned the momentum by claiming the last four games to win the set 6-4. The third set opened with three consecutive breaks and Gosea was on the wrong end of two of them. The senior would ultimately drop the third set 6-2.
"Quentin did a great job of keeping the pressure on Farris the whole match and he came up with some great shots in the first two sets," Dancer said. "I thought because Farris hung in so tough, Quentin blinked late in the second and it really became a dog fight early in the third set. Farris battled hard all the way through; it was a courageous effort by him. During his time here, Farris had some incredible accomplishments and he's grown at an astonishing rate and elevated himself to being one of the best players in college tennis. He should be incredibly proud of all of his accomplishments and the contributions he's made to Fighting Illini tennis."
"We played a tough match throughout," senior
Farris Gosea said. "Quentin is a good friend of mine and I'm happy for him that he's having a great season. I appreciate the opportunity I have had to be an Illini. It is a family and I'm looking forward to continuing to be an Illini and represent the Orange and Blue."
Illini Results Singles - First Round #23
Jared Hiltzik?(ILL) def. #57 Raphael Hemmeler (DUKE), 6-7 (3), 6-3, 6-2
#9 [9-16] Quentin Monaghan (Notre Dame) def. #33
Farris Gosea (ILL), 6-4, 4-6, 6-2
