Zeke Clark Assistant Coach | University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Website
Zeke Clark Assistant Coach | University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Website
No. 11 Illinois is preparing to face off against No. 1 Ohio State in a non-conference men's tennis match on Wednesday, March 6, at Atkins Tennis Center in Champaign, Illinois. The match is set to begin at 6 p.m. CT.
The history between the two teams dates back over a century, with their first encounter ending in a tie on May 17, 1920. Overall, Illinois has a slight edge with a record of 61-56-1 against Ohio State. However, in recent years, Ohio State has dominated the matchup, winning ten of the last eleven meetings. Illinois' sole victory during this period came during the 2021 Big Ten Tournament championship.
Ohio State enters the contest undefeated this season and has achieved nine shutout victories, including a notable win against reigning national champions Virginia Cavaliers with a score of 7-0.
The Buckeyes have several highly ranked players contributing to their success. JJ Tracy is ranked No. 7 in singles, followed by Jack Anthrop at No. 16 and Cannon Kingsley at No. 17. Justin Boulais and Alexander Bernard are also within the top-90 singles rankings.
In doubles competition, Ohio State boasts strong pairings as well: Robert Cash and JJ Tracy hold the No. 5 spot while Alexander Bernard and JJ Tracy rank No. 30.
Recently achieving his career's milestone victory was Ty Tucker, Ohio State's director of tennis, who celebrated his 700th win after defeating No.14 Baylor with a score of 4-1 in Columbus.
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