Illini Fall to Top-Seeded No. 3 North Carolina on Opening Day of ITA Indoor Nationals

Recap

Box Score

URBANA, Ill. – For the second consecutive season, Fighting Illini women's tennis earned an automatic bid into the ITA National Team Indoor Championships as a co–event host. Action in the 2026 event opened on Friday for [8] Illinois as they fell to [1] No. 3 North Carolina, 4-0.

The Fighting Illini moved to 2-3 on the season and 2-1 when playing in the Atkins Tennis Center this season. Top-seeded and No. 3-ranked North Carolina improved to 8-0 on the season with the win.

North Carolina claimed Friday's doubles point with 6-1 victories at No. 2 and No. 3 doubles, respectively. Action went unfinished on the top court.

The Tarheels worked quickly, earning wins at No. 4, 3, and 1, respectively, to close out the 4-0 win over the Fighting Illini. All six players in UNC's singles lineup hold current ITA singles rankings.

NEXT UP

The Fighting Illini are back in action on Saturday, Feb. 7, from the Atkins Tennis Center as they face the loser of [4] Duke and [5] Ohio State at 6:30 p.m. CT.

More information can be found HERE.

[1] #3 NORTH CAROLINA (8-0) 4, ILLINOIS (2-3) 0

Doubles:

1 - No. 5 Ange Oby Kajuru/Susanna Maltby (UNC) vs. No. 59 Tess Bucher/Alice Xu (Illinois) - 2-5, unfinished
2 - No. 6 Alanis Hamilton/Reese Brantmeier (UNC) def. McKenna Schaefbauer/Kimiko Cooper (Illinois) - 6-1
3 - Tatum Evans/Anna Frey (UNC) def. Ariel Madatali/Cara Mester (Illinois) - 6-1

Order of finish: 2, 3,

Singles:

1 - No. 1 Reese Brantmeier (UNC) def. No. 67 McKenna Schaefbauer (Illinois) - 6-2, 6-3
2 - No. 7 Ange Oby Kajuru (UNC) vs. Kimiko Cooper (Illinois) - 7-6(5), 2-2, unfinished
3 - No. 21 Tatum Evans (UNC) def. Ariel Madatali (Illinois) - 6-3, 6-0
4 - No. 51 Anna Frey (UNC) def. Tess Bucher (Illinois) - 6-0, 6-1
5 - No. 71 Alanis Hamilton (UNC) vs. Alice Xu (Illinois) - 6-3, 2-3, unfinished
6 - No. 90 Theadora Rabman (UNC) vs. Lizzie Isyanov (Illinois) - 6-4, 1-2, unfinished