Live Stats
URBANA, Ill. – The No. 11 Fighting Illini men's tennis team will travel to Indian Wells, California to take on No. 21 Baylor on Friday, March 18, at 1 p.m. CT in the BNP Paribas Open Collegiate Tennis Challenge presented by Oracle. The collegiate showcase will be held over the final weekend, March 18-20, of the BNP Paribas Open, the largest ATP World Tour and WTA combined two-week event in the world.
FOR STARTERS
The Illini enter the weekend with a record of 7-6. The match-up with Baylor will be the eighth straight ranked opponent for the Illini, who currently hold a 4-6 mark against top-25 teams.
No. 8 Jared Hiltzik and No. 6 Aleks Vukic have combined for an 18-4 record on the season. The two also have a combined 11-2 mark against ranked singles opponents. Illinois is the only team in the country to sport two top-10 ranked singles players.
SCOUTING BAYLOR
The Bears currently hold an 11-4 record on the season, including three wins over Prairie View A&M on Monday. During a current six-match win streak, Baylor has also picked up victories over Columbia, Memphis and Abilene Christian. BU currently has two nationally ranked singles players, including No. 17 Julian Lenz and No. 56 Maxime Tchoutakian. The doubles pair of Julian Lenz and Will Little is also the No. 12 ranked duo in the country. Illinois and Baylor met once last season, as the Illini defeated the Bears 4-3 in Waco, Texas.
ILLINI IN THE RANKINGS
Illinois enters the weekend at No. 11 in the ITA national rankings. UI still remains the only team in the country with two singles players currently ranked in the top-10 nationally, highlighted by No. 6 Aleks Vukic and No. 8 Jared Hiltzik. Aron Hiltzik also cracked the list and sits at No. 63.
ILLINI GARNER B1G HONORS
Senior Jared Hitlzik was named Big Ten Tennis Athlete of the Week on Tuesday, March 1, as announced by the league office. Hiltzik went 3-0 over the stretch, helping the Orange and Blue knock off No. 2 Virginia at home. The honor is the first for Hiltzik this season and sixth of his career. It marks the third time this season an Illini men's tennis player has received the award, as Aleks Vukic has garnered the laurel twice this season. Vukic received the award on Feb. 16 and Jan. 26.
HILTZIK ENTERS 100 WIN CLUB
Senior Jared Hiltzik surpassed the 100 singles win mark earlier this season. Hiltzik is one of 14 Illini to hit reach the 100 wins club. He currently sits as the 11th-winningest singles player in program history with a 106 total wins.
NEXT UP
Following the match-up with the Bears, Illinois will travel to Lexington, Kentucky to take on the Kentucky Wildcats. Competition will begin at 1 p.m. CT on March 22.
