Box Score
NORMAN, Okla. – The No. 17 Fighting Illini men's tennis team defeated the No. 25 Arkansas Razorbacks, 4-2 on Saturday morning at the ITA Kick-Off. Freshman Noe Khlif earned his first-career dual match win and clinched the match victory for the Orange and Blue on court six. Illinois has now won six-consecutive season-opening matches.
In doubles, Arkansas took the early lead in the match after Salazar and Marino grabbed a 6-4 victory over Gui Gomes and Alex Jesse on court one. Mesquida and Sanjurjo clinched the doubles point for the Razorbacks with a 6-4 win on court two over Aron Hiltzik and Noe Khlif.
Singles play saw the Illini with four freshmen, Zeke Clark, Aleks Kovacevic, Gomes and Khlif, in the starting lineup. No. 85-ranked Kovacevic got the Orange and Blue on the board with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Juan Marino on court five. Junior Aleks Vukic defeated No. 19-ranked Jose Salazar, 6-1, 6-4. Fellow-junior Hiltzik was next off the court with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Adam Sanjurjo on court two to give Illinois a 3-1 advantage.
The Razorbacks earned a point back after Johan den Toom defeated Gomes, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 on court three. Freshman Noe Khlif split the first two sets with Branch Terrell on court six. Down 3-1 in the third set, the Marseille, France native stormed back to win five of the final six games to clinch the match, 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 and give Illinois their first dual match victory of 2017.
Up next, the Fighting Illini will take on the winner of No. 16 Oklahoma and No. 19 Michigan on Sunday at 2 p.m. CT in Norman, Okla. The winner of Sunday's match will earn a berth into the ITA National Indoor Team Championships in February.
Coach Dancer's Thoughts
"It was awesome to have a strong contingent of Illini fans in Oklahoma. We were fortunate to get Arkansas on a day they were down an important piece. The upperclassmen were dialed in and provided great leadership today. Putting four freshmen out there for singles was a pretty cool moment. This is the beginning of their unique stamp but certainly the day was led by the older guys."
Final Results
#17 ILLINOIS 4, #25 ARKANSAS 2
Doubles-Order of Finish: 1, 2*
- Salazar/Marino (Arkansas) d. Gomes/Jesse (Illinois) 6-4
- Mesquida/Sanjurjo (Arkansas) d. Hiltzik/Khlif (Illinois) 6-4
- Budic/Vukic vs. den Toom/Terrell 6-5, unf.
Singles-Order of Finish: 5, 1, 2, 3, 6*
- Aleks Vukic (Illinois) def. #19 Jose Salazar (Arkansas) 6-1, 6-4
- #29 Aron Hiltzik (Illinois) def. Adam Sanjurjo (Arkansas) 6-2, 6-4
- Johan den Toom (Arkansas) def. #100 Gui Gomes (Illinois) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
- Zeke Clark (Illinois) vs. Oscar Mesquida (Arkansas) 6-7, 6-2, 2-0, unf.
- #85 Aleks Kovacevic (Illinois) def. Juan Marino (Arkansas) 6-4, 6-3
- Noe Khlif (Illinois) def. Branch Terrell (Arkansas) 6-3, 2-6, 6-4
Records-ILLINOIS (1-0); ARKANSAS (2-3)
Follow the Illini:
FightingIllini.com
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
