University of Illinois
Yale
No. 5 Illinois Set for Blue Gray National Tennis Classic
February 22, 2018 | Women's Tennis
Blue Gray National Tennis Classic
| Date | Friday vs. Yale - 12:30 pm | Friday - TBD | Saturday - TBD |
| Location | Montgomery, Alabama |
| Live Links | Scoring |
| 2018 Information | Match Notes | Record Book |
The No. 5 Fighting Illini women's tennis team will open play at the 2018 Blue Gray National Tennis Classic on Friday afternoon in Montgomery, Alabama. Illinois will face the Yale Bulldogs (3-5) at 12:30 pm in Lagoon Park. Alabama, Auburn, Denver, UAB, Utah and Wake Forest join Illinois and Yale in the eight-team field. The two-day, three-match tournament celebrates its 70th year in existence this weekend. UI is off to its best start since 1982 with a 7-1 overall record.
Illinois Reaches Program's Highest Oracle/ITA Ranking
Just two weeks after being ranked in the Oracle/ITA Top-25 for the first time since 2013, the No. 5-ranked Orange and Blue reached the highest team ranking in program history. Illinois is coming off a 2-0 weekend at the Atkins Tennis Center, where Illinois topped Iowa and a ranked Washington team. The win over Washington was the Illini's second win over a Top-25 opponent and marks just the third time since 1994 that UI has defeated two Top-25 opponents in the same season.
Youth Movement Continues to Produce for the Illini
The Illini boast one of the youngest rosters in the nation with four freshmen playing both doubles and singles. Illinois is one of only four teams in the ITA Top-25 with four freshmen on the roster. The freshman class are currently 18-7 in dual match singles play with Sasha Belaya producing an undefeated mark in singles. In doubles, the freshmen have a combined record of 16-7. Illinois has clinched the doubles point in seven of its first eight matches.
Switkes Enters Singles Rankings
Junior Jaclyn Switkes entered the Oracle/ITA Singles rankings for the first time in her career. Switkes sits at No. 79 with a 5-2 dual match record in singles play. The Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida native, most recently clinched Illinois's 4-3 thriller over then-No. 22 Washington in a third-set tiebreaker, 7-4 against the No. 36 Vanessa Wong.
Rabinowitz Earns First Big Ten Weekly Honor
Fighting Illini freshman Mia Rabinowitz was named the Big Ten Tennis Athlete of the Week, the league announced on February 6. Rabinowitz is the first Illini freshman to win a Big Ten weekly award since Emily Wang on March 5, 2004. Rabinowitz clinched Illinois's 4-2 win over No. 11 Texas on Friday night at the Atkins Tennis Center. The freshman defeated Texas's No. 32-ranked Petra Granic, 6-2, 7-6(5) on court three to seal the Illini victory.
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