URBANA, Ill. – No. 24 Illinois fell to No. 7 Mississippi State, 5-2, in a back-and-forth ranked battle in the team's season opener at Atkins Tennis Center on Friday night.
Three Fighting Illini student-athletes made their dual debuts for the Orange and Blue, with freshman Sasha Colleu going 2-0 on the day.
The Illini secured the doubles point behind quick wins on Courts 1 and 2. Colleu and Gabriel Debru were the first to finish, cruising to a 6-0 victory over Bulldog duo Niccolo Baroni and Mario Martinez Serrano. Adam Jilly and Kenta Miyoshi were not far behind, claiming a 6-2 victory over No. 2-ranked Benito Sanchez Martinez and Petar Jovanovic.
Illinois doubled its advantage with Colleu's straight-set ranked triumph at No. 5 singles. Breaking twice within the first three games, the freshman tallied a 6-3 decision in the opening frame. The Miami native posted a bagel in the second set en route to his 6-3, 6-0 win over No. 34 Bryan Hernandez Cortes in his dual debut.
The Bulldogs ultimately notched the final five singles triumphs, clinching the match for the visitors via victories on Courts 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6.
RESULTS
Doubles
No. 1: Adam Jilly/Kenta Miyoshi (Illinois) def. #2 Benito Sanchez Martinez/Petar Jovanovic (Mississippi State), 6-2
No. 2: Sasha Colleu/Gabriel Debru (Illinois) def. Niccolo Baroni/Mario Martinez Serrano (Mississippi State), 6-0
No. 3: William Mroz/Zach Viiala (Illinois) vs. Michal Novansky/Bryan Hernandez Cortes (Mississippi State), 3-3, unfinished
Order of finish: 2, 1
Singles
No. 1: #54 Benito Sanchez Martinez (Mississippi State) def. #10 Kenta Miyoshi, 6-4, 6-7(4), 7-6(4)
No. 2: #13 Petar Jovanovic (Mississippi State) def. Gabriel Debru (Illinois), 4-6, 6-3, 6-4
No. 3: Niccolo Baroni (Mississippi State) def. William Mroz (Illinois), 6-1, 6-4
No. 4: #37 Mario Martinez Serrano (Mississippi State) def. #87 Adam Jilly (Illinois), 7-6(5), 2-6, 6-2Â
No. 5: Sasha Colleu (Illinois) def. #34 Bryan Hernandez Cortes (Mississippi State), 6-3, 6-0
No. 6: #125 Raphael Vaksmann (Mississippi State) def. Jeremy Zhang (Illinois), 6-3, 6-2
Order of finish: 5, 3, 6, 4, 2, 1
UP NEXT
No. 24 Illinois heads to New York City for ITA Kickoff Weekend, with the Illini taking on No. 10 Columbia in the opening round on Friday at 2 p.m. CT. The Orange and Blue will then face either Florida or Kentucky in the second round on Saturday.
