Wake Forest Box Score | Auburn Box Score | Yale Box Score | Match-Clinching Point 

MONTGOMERY, Ala. - The No. 5 University of Illinois women's tennis team won the 2018 Blue Gray National Tennis Classic on Saturday afternoon with a 4-3 win over the No. 10 Wake Forest Demon Deacons. Junior Jaclyn Switkes was named MVP of the tournament. Illinois has won seven-straight matches and improves to 10-1 overall this season. 

Match Two vs. No. 10 Wake Forest | W, 4-3 

Illinois needed four singles wins to top the Demon Deacons on Saturday afternoon. Junior Daniela Pedraza-Novak got Illinois on the board with a quick, 6-2, 6-2 defeat of Joanna Zalewski. Wake Forest put Illinois on the brink with two singles wins at the No. 4 and 6 positions. Down 3-1, Switkes started the Illini comeback. The Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, native topped No. 63-ranked Eliza Omirou, 1-6, 6-4, 6-2. Freshman Mia Rabinowitz defeated No. 121 Taylor Russo in similar come-from-behind fashion, 4-6, 6-3, 6-0. In the end, a strong backhand from freshman Asuka Kawai clinched the Illini tournament title, 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 on court one. 

Match One vs. Auburn | W, 4-3 

After Switkes and freshman Emilee Duong clinched the doubles point with a win over Auburn's No. 60-ranked duo of Michaud and Russo on court one, the Tigers earned a 2-1 advantage with victories on courts one and five. The match moved to 2-2 with Switkes's win against No. 60 Jaeda Daniel, 2-6, 6-2, 6-4. Rabinowitz regained the lead for the Illini with a 0-6, 6-3, 6-3 win over No. 121 Taylor Russo. Auburn evened the match at 3-all by winning on court four. Belaya clinched the victory for the Orange and Blue defeating Carolina Turner, 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 at the No. 6 position. 

Illinois Notes

• The Illini have won seven-straight matches and are off to the program's best start since 1982. 
• Six of Illinois's seven singles wins on Saturday were three-set, come-from-behind wins where the Illini dropped the first set. 
• Illinois's 4-3 win over No. 10 Wake Forest marks the third Top-25 opponent the Illini have defeated this season. The three wins over Top-25 opponents in a single season are the most in program history for the Orange and Blue. 
• UI's victory against Wake Forest is the team's first win over a Top-10 opponent since Illinois defeated No. 9 Texas on March 12, 2012. 
• The Illini had not defeated Auburn in program history entering Saturday. 
• Three different Illini (Asuka Kawai, Jaclyn Switkes, Sasha Belaya) clinched a match for the Illini at the Blue Gray Classic. The match-clinching win against Auburn was the first of Belaya's career. 
• Illinois players picked up four wins over ITA-ranked opponents in singles. 
• Switkes is currently riding a six-match singles winning streak. 

Illinois Quotes 

"I am so unbelievably proud of this team and the fight and resilience they showed on the court today. Playing two matches against quality opponents is never easy and this team did it with so much toughness. Both matches were incredible. Being down 3-1 against a very good Wake Forest team and watching Asuka clinch the match was probably one of the proudest moments of my coaching career. I am so happy to see this team reap the rewards of their hard work." - head coach Evan Clark 

Final Results 

#5 Illinois 4, #10 Wake Forest 3

Doubles-Order of Finish: 1, 3*

1. #31 Davis/Carter (Wake Forest) def. Switkes/Duong (Illinois) 6-2
2. Pedraza-Novak/Belaya (Illinois) vs. Omirou/Ulyashchenko (Wake Forest) 5-4, unf.
3. MC Meredith/Zalewski (Wake Forest) def. Kawai/Rabinowitz (Illinois) 6-4

Singles-Order of Finish: 5, 6, 4, 2, 3, 1*

1. Asuka Kawai (Illinois) def. #33 Emma Davis (Wake Forest) 5-7, 6-3, 6-3
2. #79 Jaclyn Switkes (Illinois) def. #63 Eliza Omirou (Wake Forest) 1-6, 6-4, 6-2
3. Mia Rabinowitz (Illinois) def. Chandler Carter (Wake Forest) 4-6, 6-3, 6-0
4. Anna Ulyashchenko (Wake Forest) def. Emilee Duong (Illinois) 6-1, 6-4
5. Daniela Pedraza-Novak (Illinois) def. Joanna Zalewski (Wake Forest) 6-2, 6-2
6. MC Meredith (Wake Forest) def. Sasha Belaya (Illinois) 6-4, 6-3  

Records: Illinois (10-1) | Wake Forest (8-3)

#5 Illinois 4, Auburn 3

Doubles-Order of Finish: 2, 3, 1* 

1. Switkes/Duong (Illinois) def. #60 Michaud/Russo (Auburn) 7-5
2. Pedraza-Novak/Belaya (Illinois) def. Axon/Turner (Auburn) 6-3
3. Daniel/Meredith (Auburn) def. Kawai/Rabinowitz (Illinois) 6-4

Singles-Order of Finish: 5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6* 

1. Alizee Michaud (Auburn) def. Asuka Kawai (Illinois) 6-3, 6-3
2. #79 Jaclyn Switkes (Illinois) def. #60 Jaeda Daniel (Auburn) 2-6, 6-2, 6-4
3. Mia Rabinowitz (Illinois) def. #121 Taylor Russo (Auburn) 0-6, 6-3, 6-3
4. Madeline Meredith (Auburn) def. Emilee Duong (Illinois) 4-6, 6-2, 7-6
5. Andie Dikosavljevic (Auburn) def. Daniela Pedraza-Novak (Illinois) 6-4, 6-2
6. Sasha Belaya (Illinois) def. Carolina Turner (Auburn) 5-7, 6-4, 6-4

Records: Illinois (9-1) | Auburn (10-4)

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