Chambana Sun

Illinois set for Battle in the Bay Classic, Louisville Invitational

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois men's tennis opens its 2024 fall schedule this week, with select Fighting Illini student-athletes set to compete at two different events starting on Thursday.

Kenta Miyoshi and Karlis Ozolins will represent the Orange and Blue at the Battle in the Bay Classic from Sept. 12-15 in San Francisco. Ozolins will take part in the event for a second consecutive season after advancing to the quarterfinals as the tournament's No. 2 seed in singles play last year.

Ozolins will once again be the No. 2 seed in the singles tournament this year, while Miyoshi is seeded No. 5-8 in his Battle in the Bay Classic debut. Miyoshi and Ozolins will team up for doubles play and are set to be the competition's No. 2 seed.

Miyoshi, a 2024 Second Team All-Big Ten selection, led the Illini with 27 singles victories during the 2023-24 season. Slotted at No. 42 in the ITA preseason singles rankings, Miyoshi won one title during the 2023 fall schedule, a singles tournament triumph at the Milwaukee Tennis Classic.

Ozolins enters the fall earning All-American status in both singles and doubles play during the team's 2024 spring slate. A two-time First Team All-Big Ten honoree, Ozolins earned the No. 8 spot in the ITA preseason singles rankings ahead of this season.

Gabrielius Guzauskas and Zach Viiala are set to participate in the Louisville Invitational, which will be played at Bass-Rudd Tennis Center on campus of University of Louisville from Sept. 13-15. Viiala will be making his first appearance of his collegiate career, while Guzauskas returns to action for first time since 2022-23 campaign.

The beginning of Illini's fall slate marks start of Brad Dancer's 20th season as head coach after taking job June 2005.

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