2018-2019 Illini Tennis

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#76      
If Gui can get back to the level he was at two years ago and Sipho keeps improving, they are going to have a very formidable line up.
 
#77      
Late to the party but ...
Caleb didn’t like getting pulled once he slumped and challenged coaching staff. Didn’t go so well for him.

Gui has the skill but drive might not be enough to get him where Illini need him.

John McNally isn’t good enough yet to go pro. I’m amazed at Wolf. McNally was always a national top 5 in his age while Wolf wasn’t but got there. He has definitely passed other guys like McNally and Gianni Ross who were more highly rated juniors.

It was pretty fun at Western & Southern Open sitting in front on Ty Tucker and cheering for Delbonis against McNally and being one of about eight people out of 3,000 cheering for Carreno Busta against Wolf.

Any way, I can tell you feeling at Atkins is they are still chasing Ohio State.
 
#78      
Late to the party but ...
Caleb didn’t like getting pulled once he slumped and challenged coaching staff. Didn’t go so well for him.

Gui has the skill but drive might not be enough to get him where Illini need him.

John McNally isn’t good enough yet to go pro. I’m amazed at Wolf. McNally was always a national top 5 in his age while Wolf wasn’t but got there. He has definitely passed other guys like McNally and Gianni Ross who were more highly rated juniors.

It was pretty fun at Western & Southern Open sitting in front on Ty Tucker and cheering for Delbonis against McNally and being one of about eight people out of 3,000 cheering for Carreno Busta against Wolf.

Any way, I can tell you feeling at Atkins is they are still chasing Ohio State.


Thank you for the info! Any details on what happened with Keenan?

I would have loved to be in Cinci cheering against Wolf and McNally!

Coaching staff still feels like Ohio State is the favorite in the Big Ten even with all the departures?
 
#79      
Thank you for the info! Any details on what happened with Keenan?

I would have loved to be in Cinci cheering against Wolf and McNally!

Coaching staff still feels like Ohio State is the favorite in the Big Ten even with all the departures?

I don’t want to say coaching staff. My connections are staff at Atkins but not Illini coaches. Also my kid played college tennis and competed with a current Illini player so I got to know that player’s father.

I get the feeling the consensus is Illini are one player short right now. That’s just my read of comments made.

I haven’t asked specifics about Mayo. It seemed to me drive probably wasn’t a fit for program requirements.
 
#81      
https://fightingillini.com/news/201...-comes-to-atkins-tennis-center.aspx?path=mten

All team members participated in either qualifying or main draw. Kovacevic got to semi. Final is Stanford player vs Tennessee player.

Kovacevic, Brown, Montsi and Zeke all played in the main draw at the ITA All-American Championships in Tulsa. Kovacevic was defeated in the round of 16 today. Still, I'm pretty impressed with all four of them. I think those 4 are locked into the starting lineup, along with Budic. Would like it if one or two more guys stepped up this season.
 
#82      
Kovacevic, Brown, Montsi and Zeke all played in the main draw at the ITA All-American Championships in Tulsa. Kovacevic was defeated in the round of 16 today. Still, I'm pretty impressed with all four of them. I think those 4 are locked into the starting lineup, along with Budic. Would like it if one or two more guys stepped up this season.
I watched Clark vs. Sarrio online yesterday. Clark is a bulldog who will not give up on a point. If he was 6 or 8" taller he would be ranked in the top ten.
 
#83      
Kovacevic on Tennis Channel in 3rd set at Knoxville Challenger vs seasoned vet Bradley Klahn.
 
#86      
Any recruiting info? I know Hunter Heck signed, but there are going to be a lot of spots to fill when this season ends.

The thing I'm worried about is not having enough talent to make the Final 8 when they host the NCAA tournament. It would be really depressing to host for the second time without having a team at the site.

You would think that being able to play in the NCAA tournament on your home courts with great fan support would be a great selling point, but so far all I know of is Heck signing. Like you said, they are losing a ton after this season. Will still have some very good players, but probably need a couple more to be really competitive nationally, or even in the B1G against Ohio State and even Michigan with the talent they have coming.

Maybe they have some international talent coming we don't know about. Let's hope Dancer has something up his sleeve, because I'm a little worried.
 
#87      
The thing I'm worried about is not having enough talent to make the Final 8 when they host the NCAA tournament. It would be really depressing to host for the second time without having a team at the site.

You would think that being able to play in the NCAA tournament on your home courts with great fan support would be a great selling point, but so far all I know of is Heck signing. Like you said, they are losing a ton after this season. Will still have some very good players, but probably need a couple more to be really competitive nationally, or even in the B1G against Ohio State and even Michigan with the talent they have coming.

Maybe they have some international talent coming we don't know about. Let's hope Dancer has something up his sleeve, because I'm a little worried.

[IMG]https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1040287411937263616/HU-DTuW-_bigger.jpg[/IMG][B]Parsa Bombs 💣[/B]‏ @[B]ParsaBombs[/B]
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After a recent official visit, Ryoma Matsushita (UTR 12.96) of Japan has verbally committed to @IlliniMTennis and will join the Fighting Illini in the fall of 2020. The 18-yo has an ITF Jr. career-high ranking of #90 and has won 8 ITF juniors titles (4 in singles & 4 in doubles).


Parsa is a great source of recruiting info. This is a good start. Heck and Matsushita will help, but we need a few more to join.
 
#88      
[IMG]https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1040287411937263616/HU-DTuW-_bigger.jpg[/IMG][B]Parsa Bombs 💣[/B]‏ @[B]ParsaBombs[/B]
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After a recent official visit, Ryoma Matsushita (UTR 12.96) of Japan has verbally committed to @IlliniMTennis and will join the Fighting Illini in the fall of 2020. The 18-yo has an ITF Jr. career-high ranking of #90 and has won 8 ITF juniors titles (4 in singles & 4 in doubles).


Parsa is a great source of recruiting info. This is a good start. Heck and Matsushita will help, but we need a few more to join.
Kenyatte is currently injured and Khlif plans to redshirt. I'm afraid the bottom of our lineup is going to struggle.
 
#89      
Kenyatte is currently injured and Khlif plans to redshirt. I'm afraid the bottom of our lineup is going to struggle.

I'm not overly concerned about the lineup for the spring even without Kenyatte and Khlif (although it would be nice to have them available).

I'm thinking they will go with the following lineup

Singles - 1) Kova 2) AB 3) Zeke 4) Siph 5) Vuk 6) Scott or Gui or ? (depending on matchup)
Doubles - 1) Kova / AB 2) Zeke / Vuk 3) Gui / Scott
 
#90      
I'm not overly concerned about the lineup for the spring even without Kenyatte and Khlif (although it would be nice to have them available).

I'm thinking they will go with the following lineup

Singles - 1) Kova 2) AB 3) Zeke 4) Siph 5) Vuk 6) Scott or Gui or ? (depending on matchup)
Doubles - 1) Kova / AB 2) Zeke / Vuk 3) Gui / Scott
I know nothing of Scott. Never seen him play. Can he get us some W's?
 
#91      
I know nothing of Scott. Never seen him play. Can he get us some W's?

Seems like Scott is working hard to crack the lineup. He played #3 doubles at the end of last season (mostly paired with Mayo). #3 doubles is where I was hoping Kenyatte would make an impact.

One match doesn't necessarily mean very much, but Scott had a huge win over Ronald Hohmann a week ago. Ronald is a blue chip recruit and on the LSU roster (ranked #1 by tennis recruiting).

https://www.tennisrecruiting.net/player.asp?id=744763

 
#92      
Anyone know if AB is injured? He did not play at Duke or UNC. Also, what has been going on with this team? I didn't expect them to beat Duke or UNC on the road, but it wasn't even close.
 
#93      
Anyone know if AB is injured? He did not play at Duke or UNC. Also, what has been going on with this team? I didn't expect them to beat Duke or UNC on the road, but it wasn't even close.
He has some type of illness and has had since Christmas. I saw him yesterday at the women's match and he looks like a skeleton. FWIW, the women are going to be pretty good this year and better next year. Clark is recruiting better than Dancer is right now.
 
#94      
Caleb is playing #1 singles @ SMU.

Keenan Mayo is playing #1 singles @ Loyola Marymount.
 
#95      
Caleb is playing #1 singles @ SMU.

Keenan Mayo is playing #1 singles @ Loyola Marymount.

Sure would be nice to be able to plug these guys in at #5 and #6. Absolutely no wins coming from these spots. Can't imagine this season starting off any worse. Hard to win matches when you lose the doubles point almost every time.
 
#96      
Is Ross Guignon back on the staff? I swear that he has been on the sideline coaching at the past two home meets. I know that Eric West left his position as Director of Operations but this new person (Ross?) is actually coaching during the matches. Both Dancer and Asse continue to coach so this new person must be a grad assistant or volunteer coach. I know that Ross had done that a few years back.
 
#97      

ilphotog

The camera never lies
Champaign
Is Ross Guignon back on the staff? I swear that he has been on the sideline coaching at the past two home meets. I know that Eric West left his position as Director of Operations but this new person (Ross?) is actually coaching during the matches. Both Dancer and Asse continue to coach so this new person must be a grad assistant or volunteer coach. I know that Ross had done that a few years back.
Yes, helping out at the matches he can, assuming on a volunteer basis.
 
#99      
NCAA is granting all athletes in spring sports an extra year of eligibility. I wonder if Kovacevic, Clark, Budic and Khlif will come back next year? I saw that Kovacevic is considering it.
 
#100      
NCAA is granting all athletes in spring sports an extra year of eligibility. I wonder if Kovacevic, Clark, Budic and Khlif will come back next year? I saw that Kovacevic is considering it.
Khlif's plan was to redshirt this year with the intention of playing another year. To my knowledge we have only two new commits for next year - Matsushita and Hunt. If there are no more commits, then we should have room for the return of someone. The new guidelines did not expand the scholarship pool, though, so that might complicate things. And, of course, we have no idea when collegiate or professional tennis might be played again.
 
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