ORLANDO, Fla. – Illinois men's tennis junior Aleks Kovacevic advanced to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Singles Championships, securing All-America honors. Ranked No. 46 in the latest Oracle/ITA Division I Men's rankings, sophomore Alex Brown was eliminated earlier today.
"Excited for Kova to advance," said head coach Brad Dancer. "Nothing comes easy in this tournament and every day gets tougher. He will have another good test tomorrow".
Kovacevic's 6-3, 7-5 victory over 65th ranked Ewan Moore of Tulane was his 12th ranked win in singles play this season. The New York native improves to 21-3 in singles play since the beginning of the spring season and 32-6 overall. The No. 7 seed matches the program's 6th best longest singles winning streak with 15Â matches.
Kovacevic will face 50th ranked Bar Botzer from Wake Forest on Wednesday afternoon at 3 p.m. CT / 4 p.m. ET and will broadcast live on the Tennis Channel.
Botzer is a member of the Wake Forest squad that finished as runner-up during the team national championship earlier in the week. The All-ACC honoree was 25-2 during dual singles play this season, with an undefeated 8-0 record in the No. 2 position.
Brown fell to Hady Habib of Texas A&M, 7-6(4), 6-7(5), 3-6, in the evening. Brown finished the season with a 15-11 dual match singles record and recorded six ranked wins, including a top 30 win against Ohio State's John McNally during the Big Ten Tournament final on April 28.
"Alex (Brown) showed great mental toughness this year," noted Dancer. "I love his composure and he came up big in so many team matches. He was right there to take that match today but couldn't quite close it out. I know he is eager to attack this summer."
Singles Main Draw
No. 46 Alex Brown
Round of 64 (May 20) – def. No. 42 Ryo Matsumura (Kentucky), 6-3, 6-1
Round of 32 (May 21) – fell to No. 58 Hady Habib (Texas A&M), 7-6(4), 6-7(5), 3-6
No. 10 Aleks Kovacevic
Round of 64 (May 20) – def. No. 94 Guanarteme Nuez (UT-Arlington), 6-3, 6-3
Round of 32 (May 21) – def. No. 65 Ewan Moore (Tulane), 6-3, 7-5
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 – No. 7 seed Aleks Kovacevic
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
