Chambana Sun

Illinois will host a doubleheader against Clemson and Notre Dame at the Atkins Tennis Center on Saturday. The Fighting Illini, currently holding a 2-2 record, are set to face Clemson at 11 a.m. CT followed by Notre Dame at 6 p.m. CT.

This event marks Illinois' first home dual matches of the season after their initial four matches were played on the road. In addition to these men's tennis matches, the women's team is scheduled to compete against Baylor at 3 p.m. CT.

The Illini recently returned from North Carolina with mixed results: a loss to No. 7 Duke and a victory over North Carolina. Despite losing the doubles point against UNC, Illinois secured wins in singles play to achieve a 4-2 triumph.

Mathis Debru equalized the score with his performance in No. 5 singles, while William Mroz's victory in No. 2 singles gave Illinois its first lead of the match. Tyler Bowers further extended this lead with his win in No. 4 singles, and Kenta Miyoshi clinched both his match and the overall team victory for Illinois.

Clemson arrives with an undefeated record of 8-0, including victories over ranked teams like Michigan State and South Carolina. Notre Dame holds an impressive record of 8-1, suffering only one defeat from Princeton earlier this year.

Historically, Illinois leads Clemson in their series history with four wins out of six encounters since their first meeting in 1969. Against Notre Dame, Illinois has maintained a slight edge over numerous contests dating back to their inaugural match-up in 1933.

In terms of individual rankings within the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA), several players from these teams are featured prominently across singles and doubles categories.