#23 Illinois Falls in Home Dual Against UCLA

URBANA, Ill. – No. 23 Illinois suffered its first home loss of the season with a 4-1 defeat against UCLA at Atkins Tennis Center on Friday night.

The Fighting Illini moved to 9-6 overall and 3-2 in Big Ten play, while the Bruins improved to 5-6 and 3-0 in conference competition.

Tyler Bowers and Kenta Miyoshi teamed up for their third consecutive win at No. 1 doubles. The Illini tandem broke in the first game before breaking again in the fifth game to take a 4-1 edge. With both pairs holding the rest of the way, Bowers and Miyoshi's 6-2 victory over Alexander Hoogmartens and Giacomo Revelli marked the first doubles match to finish.

The Bruins bounced back by winning the remaining two matches at No. 2 and 3 doubles to take a 1-0 advantage heading into singles action.

UCLA added to its lead via wins at No. 4 and 5 singles, though Illinois responded with a victory at No. 6 singles, with Mathis Debru defeating Giacomo Revelli in straight sets to cut into the Illini deficit. 

Breaking for the first time in the seventh game of the opening frame, Debru looked to serve out the set. Facing a 15-40 hole in the 10th game, Debru clawed his way back to win the game and take the set, 6-4. After getting broken in the second game of the second set, Debru broke back in the fifth game before breaking again in the ninth game to go up, 5-4. Securing a 6-4, 6-4 triumph, Debru earned his fifth consecutive singles victory and improved to 10-2 in dual play this season.

UCLA ultimately claimed the dual victory with a win at No. 3 singles.

Results: No. 41 UCLA 4, No. 23 Illinois 1 

Doubles
No. 1: Tyler Bowers/Kenta Miyoshi (Illinois) def. Alexander Hoogmartens/Giacomo Revelli (UCLA), 6-2
No. 2: Aadarsh Tripathi/Rudy Quan (UCLA) def. William Mroz/Zach Viiala (Illinois), 6-4 
No. 3: Emon van Loben Sels/Gianluca Ballotta (UCLA) def. Mathis Debru/Max Mroz (Illinois), 6-2

Order of finish: 1, 3, 2

Singles
No. 1: No. 16 Kenta Miyoshi (Illinois) vs. No. 29 Rudy Quan (UCLA), 7-6(5), 5-1, unfinished
No. 2: No. 62 William Mroz (Illinois) vs. Kaylan Bigun (UCLA), 6-2, 3-6, 4-0, unfinished
No. 3: No. 75 Emon van Loben Sels (UCLA) def. Jeremy Zhang (Illinois), 6-1, 6-4
No. 4: Alexander Hoogmartens (UCLA) def. Tyler Bowers (Illinois), 6-1, 6-0
No. 5: No. 120 Aadarsh Tripathi (UCLA) def. Zach Viiala (Illinois), 6-4, 6-0
No. 6: Mathis Debru (Illinois) def. Gianluca Ballotta (UCLA), 6-4, 6-4

Order of finish: 4, 5, 6, 3

Next Up

No. 23 Illinois hosts USC on Sunday afternoon, with the dual set to begin with doubles action between the Illini and the Trojans at 12 p.m. CT.