THIS WEEK: Illinois women's tennis hosts Texas A&M (Thursday at 5 pm) and Baylor (Sunday at 11 am) at Atkins Tennis Center this week. Admission is free | PROMOTIONS

By Mike Pearson
FightingIllini.com

What went from good in 2017 to very good in 2018 for the Illini women's tennis team could be simply great in 2019. And with three blue-chip recruits signed and sealed for 2020, can awesome be far behind?

Head Coach Evan Clark admits that the path for his relatively young squad has already gotten steeper.

"Last year we were under the radar a little bit and towards the end of the year that changed," he said. "But this year, there's no hiding."

In an attempt to find out where his team stood, the 2018 Big Ten Coach of the Year beefed up Illinois's non-conference schedule, pitting his squad against three of the nation's Top 25 teams. And though the Illini lost all three of those matches—4-1 to No. 16 Kansas (Jan. 25), 4-3 to No. 21 Virginia (Jan. 26), and 4-0 to No. 4 Duke (Feb. 3)—Clark has no regrets.

"Those matches will help us for sure," he said prior to Feb. 8 and 10 matches against talented teams from Notre Dame and Oregon. "We've seen the best and, in future matches that might be a little more manageable, this will help us."

Prophetically, the Illini bounced back triumphantly last weekend at the Atkins Tennis Center, defeating the Fighting Irish and Ducks by identical 4-3 scores.

Looking back at Illinois's 2018 top-three finish in the Big Ten and the program's first NCAA Tournament victory in nine years, Clark said his Illini progressed even faster than he imagined they would.

"There's no question that last year was very, very special," he said. "We had four freshmen who came in and changed the face of the program. We talked about being hungry and playing with a chip on our shoulder. So that's got to be a mantra that stays with us, regardless of whether we're No. 5 in the country or No. 25. We're going to have to stay hungry and keep working."

Figuring out who to play one through six singles was a difficult assignment for Clark and first-year assistant German Dalmagro.

"We're very, very even in game styles," Clark said.

So far, Clark's starting six in 2019 has included two seniors and a quartet of talented sophomores. Playing No. 1 singles for the Illini is second-year phenom Asuka Kawai from Palatine.

"Asuka is an exceptional individual," Clark says. "She's really set herself apart by the way she's playing. Asuka is super athletic and a legitimate No. 1 for us. She's got room to grow in terms of closing out matches, but she always puts herself into a position to win. Now, it's just a matter of getting over that hump and getting a little more mentally tough."

Clark says Kawai, the team's Spirit Award winner a year ago, is "all about Illinois."

"When you're at matches, you can hear her and see her energy," Clark said. "You definitely know what court Asuka's on because she's a competitor and very spirited. That's what we love about her."

This past weekend, senior Jaclyn Switkes from Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, played No. 2 singles for the Illini. Her success story at Illinois is one that Clark loves to share.

"I've never seen a student-athlete get more out of her game that Jaclyn," Clark said. "She'll be honest with you about not being the most talented kid, but she fights and claws and scraps and makes you really, really work. Jac's competitiveness is her best quality. It's not always going to be pretty, but she just finds a way to win. She's a great example for our other kids."

Though Emilee Duong narrowly lost both of her matches this past weekend at No. 3 singles, Clark remains confident about the Placentia, California sophomore.

"Emilee was a big reason we had the success we did last season," he said. "She's got a huge game, is really, really athletic, and hits a huge ball. Of any kid I've ever coached, Emilee has the 'livest' arm I've seen. Now, she's got to hone that stuff in and be a little more disciplined and consistent. There's no doubt that she's a special kid."

Clark's very first Illini recruit, sophomore Mia Rabinowitz from Tenafly, New Jersey, holds a special place in his heart.

"Mia was the first kid that bought in to what I was trying to sell," Clark said. "She is small in stature, but she works harder than anybody. She's kind of a counter-puncher and, day in and day out, is one of our most consistent kids in all areas of her game. We're trying to work on her to get a little more offensive to work her way up in the lineup, but Mia is tough to beat just the way she is right now."

Yet another sophomore, Sasha Belaya from Melbourne, Florida, won both of her matches last weekend.

"Sasha wasn't in the lineup when we began the spring, but once she got in we couldn't take her out," Clark said. "Overall, she was another rock for us. At four, five and six, Sasha just didn't lose a lot. She's already made improvement this spring with her emotional side on the court and that's been a big piece of the puzzle for her."

Senior Daniella Pedraza Novak from Bogota, Colombia experienced her career's top highlight last spring when she clinched Illinois's 4-2 win over Princeton in the NCAA First Round.

"Dani is such an exceptional kid," Clark said. "She's found a niche with No. 1 doubles. She's a gifted tennis play who's got great hands around the net and is one of the most aggressive people we have. She and Sasha have been a great pair. Their chemistry and game styles have really matched up. The sky's the limit for them."

Freshman Shivani Ingle from India was slated to get her first action last Sunday, but an injury to Oregon's No. 6 player cancelled that appearance.

"It's been a big learning curve for Shivani, but she's going to get there," Clark said. "Both she and Maddie (freshman walk-on Madeleine Gandawidjaja from San Marino, California) are ready to play, but it's just a matter of having six really experienced kids who are returning."

A third Illini senior, Ines Vias from Germantown, Maryland, also will eventually see occasional playing time.

Last November, Clark and Dalmagro got commitments from three superb high school players, so the future of Illini tennis appears to be getting stronger and stronger. Josie Frazier from Scottsdale, Arizona, Ashley Yeah from Los Gatos, California, and Emily Casati from Chicago all join the Orange and Blue in 2020.

"We're trying to find a balance and really get the best fit academically and personality wise for what we're trying to do," Clark said.

With home matches coming up on Feb. 14 against Texas A&M and Feb. 17 versus Baylor, Clark invites Illini fans of all ages to give his 2019 squad a look.

"We've got a team that's exciting, fiery and competitive," Clark said. "Women's tennis is fun. In general, points are a little bit longer, so that's how we sell our game on the women's side. The uniqueness of our team has changed over the last two years. Now we've got six people who are really competing. Our best years are definitely ahead of us."