Box Score
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Tyler Bowers and Jeremy Zhang combined for seven singles wins and two doubles victories while representing the Fighting Illini men's tennis program at the Notre Dame Mini Duals from Nov. 1-3.
The competition saw student-athletes team up and compete in a mini-dual format, which featured one doubles match and two singles matches against a team of two players. Bowers and Zhang picked up two wins in that format.
Bowers went 4-0 in singles play across the three-day event, while Zhang finished with a 3-1 mark of his own. As a doubles duo, Bowers and Zhang went 2-1.
Round 1
Bowers and Zhang began their time in South Bend on Friday afternoon with a dominant victory over a duo representing the hosting Fighting Irish. The Illini tandem teamed up for a 6-1 doubles win against Notre Dame's Brian Bilsey/Jayanth Devaiah before moving on to singles play.
Zhang took down Devaiah in straight sets, 6-1, 6-1, while Bowers secured a two-set win of his own, 6-3, 6-4, against Bilsey.
The win saw the Orange and Blue duo advance to the second round of the mini-dual format, progressing to face Louisville's Miguel Avendaño and Kosuke Nakanishi.
Round 2
The Illini closed out the first day of competition with a narrow 6-4 defeat to Louisville in doubles play, which meant they needed to win both singles matches against the Cardinals on Saturday to book a place in the semifinals.
On Saturday, Bowers picked up his second straight-set triumph of the weekend, defeating Louisville's Avendaño by a 6-2, 6-4 scoreline. Zhang then fell to the Cardinals' Nakanishi in straight sets, which saw the Illini duo move into the consolation bracket.
Round 3
Illinois bounced back following its loss in the dual-match format, picking up a 3-0 victory over Ohio State duo JP Day and Reece Yakubov. Bowers and Zhang battled to a 7-6(3) win in doubles play before moving into singles play with a 1-0 lead.
Zhang clinched the dual-match win for the Orange and Blue with a 6-2, 6-2 triumph over Day. Bowers was not far behind, securing the sweep with a 6-4, 6-1 victory of his own to close out the second day of competition.
Final Round
The last day of the event featured a singles-only slate, but the Illini closed their time in South Bend on a strong note. Taking on student-athletes from Michigan, Illinois went 2-0 on Sunday afternoon.
The Orange and Blue's first victory of the day came from Zhang, who notched his third singles win of the weekend with a 6-4, 7-6(5) decision over Nicholas Steiglehner. Bowers then remained perfect in singles action with a 6-4, 6-2 triumph over the Wolverines' Mert Oral.
Up Next
The Fighting Illini will travel south for the ITA Central Sectional in Fort Worth, Texas. The NCAA qualifier will run from Nov. 7-10, with participating student-athletes yet to be announced.
Results
Tyler Bowers/Jeremy Zhang (Illinois) def. Brian Bilsey/Jayanth Devaiah (Notre Dame), 3-0
Doubles
Tyler Bowers/Jeremy Zhang (Illinois) def. Brian Bilsey/Jayanth Devaiah (Notre Dame), 6-1
Singles
Jeremy Zhang (Illinois) def. Jayanth Devaiah (Notre Dame), 6-1, 6-1
Tyler Bowers (Illinois) def. Brian Bilsey (Notre Dame), 6-3, 6-4
Miguel Avendaño/Kosuke Nakanishi (Louisville) def. Tyler Bowers/Jeremy Zhang (Illinois), 2-1
Doubles
Miguel Avendaño/Kosuke Nakanishi (Louisville) def. Tyler Bowers/Jeremy Zhang (Illinois), 6-4
Singles
Tyler Bowers (Illinois) def. Miguel Avendaño (Louisville), 6-2, 6-4
Kosuke Nakanishi (Louisville) def. Jeremy Zhang (Illinois), 6-1, 6-3
Tyler Bowers/Jeremy Zhang (Illinois) def. JP Day/Reece Yakubov (Ohio State), 3-0
Doubles
Tyler Bowers/Jeremy Zhang (Illinois) def. JP Day/Reese Yakubov (Ohio State), 7-6(3)
Singles
Jeremy Zhang (Illinois) def. JP Day (Ohio State), 6-2, 6-2
Tyler Bowers (Illinois) def. Reece Yakubov (Ohio State), 6-4, 6-1
Day 3: Singles Only vs. Michigan
Jeremy Zhang (Illinois) def. Nicholas Steiglehner (Michigan), 6-4, 7-6(5)
Tyler Bowers (Illinois) def. Mert Oral (Michigan), 6-4, 6-2
