FightingIllini.com
The Official Home of University of Illinois Athletics
- Men's Sports
- MEN'S SPORTS
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Cheerleading
- Football
- Golf
- WOMEN'S SPORTS
- Basketball
- Cheerleading
- Golf
- Gymnastics
- Soccer
  |
|
Junior Dennis Nevolo secured his first-career All-America honor.
|
May 26, 2011
STANFORD, Calif. - Illini junior Dennis Nevolo advanced to the round of 16 of the NCAA Singles Championships for the first time in his career, as he defeated Daniel Nguyen of national champion USC, 6-4, 5-7, 5-2, ret., Thursday afternoon. With the win, Nevolo secured his first-career All-America honor and the first for Illinois since Kevin Anderson and Ryan Rowe in 2007.
"It was another day of battling nerves for Dennis, but also another day of overcoming that," head coach Brad Dancer said. "I'm not sure why he continues to show some anxiety, but I'm proud of his efforts once again and his ability to stay the course. He started to enjoy himself in the third set and his level of play picked up."
The victory was 15th-ranked Nevolo's career-high 29th of the year and earns him a rematch with eighth-seeded Henrique Cunha of Duke on Friday at noon CT. The two met earlier in the season and would have likely gone to three sets had the overall match not been clinched.
Live scoring and video can be found on the tournament central page HERE.
Anderson, who was the last Illini to reach at least the round of 16 in singles, was defeated in second-round action earlier today at Roland Garros. The South Africa native, seeded No. 32, fell in five sets to Juan Ignacio Chela, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2.
