Men's Tennis Sweep Saturday Doubleheader

URBANA, Ill. – Fighting Illini men's tennis took both of its matches on Saturday. The Illini first beat Northwestern (7-0) then Saint Louis University (7-0) at Atkins Tennis Center. 

The Illini go to 14-8 on the year with the two wins and 4-3 in conference play after the victory over Northwestern. 

"It was a great day of tennis, " head coach Brad Dancer said. "We responded well on courts that we lost the first sets against Northwestern and I think that shows some maturity from our guys. It was a day of growing and a step forward and that's where we want our guys to be this time of the season. We gotta keep moving forward and not slide back and that's our challenge for this week." 

Northwestern

Mathis Debru and Kenta Miyoshi started doubles with a 6-4 win over Greyson Casey and Presley Thieneman. Lucas Horve and Tyler Bowers clinched the doubles point after defeating Saiprakash Goli and Nick Herdoiza, 6-1. 

No. 40-ranked Heck took the first win of the day with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Thieneman. Redshirt freshman Tyler Bowers followed suit, taking down Felix Nordby, 3-6, 6-2, 6-1. 

Alex Petrov clinched the match with a 7-5, 7-6 (7) victory over Gleb Blekher. 

Jeremy Zhang, Horve and Miyoshi also finished their matches despite Petrov clinching the victory. 

Saint Louis

Horve and Bowers began doubles with a 6-1 win over Declan Townsend and Theo Ortis. Debru and Petrov clinched the doubles point when they defeated Jonathan Sadowski and Sebastian Munoz, 6-1. 

Heck finished his match in less than an hour, defeating Luca Lo Nardo, 6-0, 6-0, with Zhang beating Munoz, 6-2, 6-2. 

Debru clinched the match after beating Sadowski, 6-2, 6-4. 

Like the Northwestern match, the two teams played out so Petrov, Miyoshi and Bowers all finished their matches after Debru clinched. 

Northwestern Results 

Doubles competition

1. Hunter Heck/Alex Petrov (ILL) vs. #48 Gleb Blekher/Felix Nordby (NU) 5-4, unfinished

2. Mathis Debru/Kenta Miyoshi (ILL) def. Greyson Casey/Presley Thieneman (NU) 6-4

3. Tyler Bowers/Lucas Horve (ILL) def. Saiprakash Goli/Nick Herdoiza (NU) 6-1

Singles competition

1. #40 Hunter Heck (ILL) def. Presley Thieneman (NU) 6-4, 6-4

2. Alex Petrov (ILL) def. Gleb Blekher (NU) 7-5, 7-6 (9-7)

3. #108 Kenta Miyoshi (ILL) def. Saiprakash Goli (NU) 7-6 (7-3), 6-7 (2-7), 1-0 (10-2)

4. Tyler Bowers (ILL) def. Felix Nordby (NU) 3-6, 6-2, 6-1

5. Lucas Horve (ILL) def. Max Bengtsson (NU) 3-6, 6-2, 6-3

6. Jeremy Zhang (ILL) def. Greyson Casey (NU) 7-5, 1-6, 6-4

SLU Results 

Doubles competition

1. Lucas Horve/Tyler Bowers (ILL) def. Declan Townsend/Theo Ortis (SLU) 6-1

2. Hunter Heck/Jeremy Zhang (ILL) vs. Andres Castellanos/Luca Lo Nardo (SLU) 4-3, unfinished

3. Alex Petrov/Mathis Debru (ILL) def. Jonathan Sadowski/Sebastian Munoz (SLU) 6-1

Singles competition

1. Alex Petrov (ILL) def. Andres Castellanos (SLU) 6-1, 6-3

2. #40 Hunter Heck (ILL) def. Luca Lo Nardo (SLU) 6-0, 6-0

3. #108 Kenta Miyoshi (ILL) def. Declan Townsend (SLU) 6-3, 6-3

4. Tyler Bowers (ILL) def. Theo Ortis (SLU) 7-6 (10-8), 6-4

5. Mathis Debru (ILL) def. Jonathan Sadowski (SLU) 6-2, 6-4

6. Jeremy Zhang (ILL) def. Sebastian Munoz (SLU) 6-2, 6-2

Up Next 

The Illini will stay home for two matches against Purdue (April 19 at 6 p.m.) and Indiana (April 21 at 12 p.m. CT) before heading to Evanston, Ill. for the Big Ten Tournament from April 25-28 at the Combe Tennis Center.