ORLANDO, Fla. – A pair of Fighting Illini advanced to the second round of the NCAA Singles Championships on Monday at the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Fla. Junior Aleks Kovacevic and sophomore Alex Brown both continue play in the NCAA Tournament after winning straight sets during the first round.
"We couldn't have asked for a better day," said head coach Brad Dancer. "The first round in the NCAA tournament has some tricky components that everyone is trying to work through."
Ranked No. 10 in the latest Oracle/ITA Division I Men's rankings, Kovacevic earned his 11th ranked victory in singles play this season. The New York Native easily defeated No. 94Â Guanarteme Nuez of UT-Arlington in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3. The No. 7 seed matches the program's 6th best longest singles winning streak with 15Â matches.
In the morning, Brown won a thriller against No. 42 Ryo Matsumura of Kentucky, 6-3, 6-1. The two-time First Team All-Big Ten honoree, Brown has compiled a 15-10 dual match singles record and 7-1 record in conference play. No. 43-ranked Brown has recorded six ranked wins, including a top 30 win against Ohio State's John McNally during the Big Ten Tournament final on April 28.
Kovacevic will meet No. 65 Ewan Moore from Tulane on Tuesday morning at 11 a.m. CT / Noon ET. Brown will face No. 58 Hady Habib of Texas A&M on court four in the second round on Tuesday evening at 4 p.m. CT / 5 p.m. ET. The Urbandale, Iowa native's match will air live on the Tennis Channel.
"Playing down in Orlando during the regular season helped us for the tournament," noted Dancer. "It was also cool to watch and support fellow Illini Asuka (Kawai). We are happy for our guys and for Asuka (Kawai) as well."
Singles Main Draw
No. 46 Alex Brown
Round of 64 (May 20) – def. No. 42 Ryo Matsumura (Kentucky), 6-3, 6-1
No. 10 Aleks Kovacevic
Round of 64 (May 20) – def. No. 94 Guanarteme Nuez (UT-Arlington), 6-3, 6-3
The Tournament Venue
The NCAA Championships will be played at United States Tennis Association (USTA) National Campus in Orlando, Fla. In Lake Nona, the collegiate tennis area is home to UCF men's and women's tennis program and features 12 hard courts with seating for 1,200 fans. It will be large enough to allow two collegiate matches to be played simultaneously. The area also will feature a two-story pavilion including concessions and locker rooms.
The USTA Player Development division aims to provide the best opportunities to succeed for the next generation of American tennis champions. This new home for American tennis will host every type of tennis event from 10-and-under team tennis events to national championships for those aged 90 and older.
Championship Schedule/Format
The NCAA Individual Championships is a six-match event for men's and women's doubles and singles over six days with the men's and women's doubles and singles champions crowned during the finals matches on Saturday, May 25.Â
Monday, May 20: Singles First Round – 10 a.m. CT / 11 a.m. ET
Tuesday, May 21: Singles Second Round and Doubles First Round – 10 a.m. CT / 11 a.m. ET
Wednesday, May 22: Singles and Doubles Round of 16 – 11 a.m. CT / Noon ET
Thursday, May 23: Singles and Doubles Quarterfinals – 3 p.m. CT / 4 p.m. ET
Friday, May 24: Singles and Doubles Semifinals – 3 p.m. CT / 4 p.m. ET
Saturday, May 25: Singles and Doubles Finals – 3 p.m. CT / 4 p.m. ET
*NCAA Singles and Doubles Champions (men and women) are crowned.
How to Watch – Tennis Channel Coverage
The Tennis Channel will provide live coverage of the NCAA Tennis Individual Championships beginning on May 20. Golf Channel's coverage also will include all six matches for men's and women's singles and doubles.
See below for full broadcast schedule throughout the championships (all times Eastern Time). The Tennis Channel can also be viewed online at www.thetennischannel.com or on the Tennis Channel app.
Monday, May 20 (First Round – Singles)
4 pm – 6:30 pm: (12) matches across 12 courts
6:30 pm – 9 pm: (4) matches across 4 courts – No. 7 seed Aleks Kovacevic
9 pm – 11:30 pm: (4) matches across 4 courts
Tuesday, May 21 (Second Round - Singles and Doubles)
4 pm – 6:30 pm: (4) matches across 4 courts – Alex Brown
6:30 pm – 9 pm: (4) matches across 4 courts
Wednesday, May 22 (Round of 16 - Singles and Doubles)
4 pm – 6:30 pm: (4) matches across 4 courts
6:30 pm – 9 pm: (4) matches across 4 courts
Thursday, May 23 (Quarterfinals – Singles and Doubles)
4 pm – 6:30 pm: (4) matches across 4 courts
6:30 pm – 9 pm: (4) matches across 4 courts
Friday, May 24 (Semifinals – Singles and Doubles)
4 pm – 6:30 pm: (4) matches across 4 courts
6:30 pm – 9 pm: (4) matches across 4 courts
Saturday, May 25 (Finals)
4 pm – 8 pm: Men's Singles Final
8 pm – 11 pm: Women's Singles Final
Follow the Illini
Stay tuned to FIGHTINGILLINI.com for all the latest information on Fighting Illini Men's Tennis. Follow the Orange and Blue on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for complete coverage.Â
