2020-21 Men's Tennis Roster
Zeke Clark
- Class:
- Senior
- Height:
- 5-8
- Hometown:
- Tulsa, Okla.
- High School:
- Riverfield Country Day School
Career Statistics
| Singles | Doubles | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Overall | Big Ten | Overall | Big Ten |
| 2016-17 | 17-12 | 4-5 | 7-12 | 4-3 |
| 2017-18 | 21-7 | 8-0 | 16-12 | 2-3 |
| 2018-19 | 28-13 | 8-1 | 7-14 | 2-3 |
| 2019-20 | 17-10 | 1-0 | 5-3 | 0-0 |
| 2020-21 | 21-3 | 17-2 | 13-3 | 13-2 |
| Total | 104-45 | 38-8 | 48-44 | 21-11 |
Rankings History
Career-High Singles Ranking: 28 (March 24, 2021)
Career-High Doubles Rankings: 14 (March 31, 2021)
Collegiate Honors
- 2021 First Team All-Big Ten
- 2021 Fighting Illini Spirit Award Winner
- 2019 First Team All-Big Ten
- 2018 ITA Midwest Regional Singles Finalist
- Three-time Academic All-Big Ten (2017,18,19)
- Two-time ITA Scholar-Athlete (2018,19)
- 2018 Strength and Conditioning Award*
- 2018 Most Improved Player*
- 2017,18, 19 Fighting Illini Spirit Award*
*team award
2020-21 Senior
- Became the 16th Illini to win 100 career singles matches after defeating Albert Sprlak-Puk (Neb) 6-2, 6-0 on April 11
- Finished his career No. 14 all-time with 104 singles wins
- Advanced to the round of 32 in the NCAA Singles Tournament
- Reached career-high ITA Singles ranking of 28 on March 24
- Reached career-high ITA Doubles ranking of 14 with partner Alex Brown on March 31
- Named Big Ten Men's Tennis Athlete of the Week on Feb. 16, his first time receiving the honor
- Clinched upsets over No. 1 USC and No. 7 Virginia during ITA Indoor Championships
- Started the dual season with a 15-match win streak in singles
- Went 10-0 at No. 3 singles during the season
- Went 8-3 at No. 1 doubles and 3-0 at No. 2 doubles with partner Alex Brown
2019-21 Senior
- Finished the season with singles wins in four of his last five completed matches
- Went 3-1 at No. 4 singles and 2-3 at No. 3
2018-19 Junior
- Clinched four Illini match victories this season - vs. Kentucky's Cesar Bourgois (Feb. 8), Iowa's Jonas Larsen (March 31), Penn State's Gabriel Nemeth (Apr. 12), and Wisconsin's Chase Colton (Apr. 21).
- Paired with fellow junior, Noe Khlif, for the first time, he defeated Purdue's Stephan Koenigsfest and Athell Bennett, 6-1.
- With a gritty tie-breaking performance, Clark was the final team point for the Illini, winning against Catalin Mateas 6-2, 6-7 (3), 1-0 (8) at Notre Dame on Feb. 6.
- Concluded the MLK Invitational on Jan. 21, defeating No. 28 Jackie Tang (Columbia), 6-7, 6-4, 6-1.
2017-18 Sophomore
- Ended the dual match season on a 13-match winning streak
- Clinched four doubles points with fellow-sophomore Aleks Kovacevic
- Clinched three Illini match victories
2016-17 Freshman
- Ended the dual match season on a four-match winning streak that began in the Big Ten Tournament against Purdue
- Clinched Illinois' 4-0 sweep of Penn State
- Grabbed the Illini's lone singles win against TCU in the NCAA Round of 16
- Clinched back-to-back doubles point with fellow-freshman Gui Gomes against Minnesota and Wisconsin
Junior Tennis | High School
- Blue chip recruit (tennisrecruiting.net)
- Ranked No. 3 nationally (tennisrecruiting.net)
- 24-8 record vs. Blue Chip recruits
Personal
- Born on July 19, 1998
- Parents: Toby and Julie Clark
- Has three siblings: Tim, Grace and Lily
- Father, Toby, played college tennis at Principia College
- Person who influences his tennis career: Matias Marin and Toby Clark
- Favorite professional athlete: David Ferrer
- Biggest thrill in sports: competing
- Hobbies outside of tennis: hanging out with friends and traveling
- Why he chose Illinois: "I loved the culture of the program and all of the guys and coaches."
Men's Tennis vs.Vanderbilt COURT 1
Saturday, May 02
Men's Tennis vs.Vanderbilt COURT 2
Saturday, May 02
Men's Tennis vs.Vanderbilt COURT 3
Saturday, May 02
Men's Tennis vs.Vanderbilt COURT 4
Saturday, May 02
