Chambana Sun

The University of Illinois men's tennis team has announced its 2025 fall schedule, which includes both collegiate and professional tournaments across the country. The season will start in September and conclude with the NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships in Florida in November.

Throughout the fall, the Illini will primarily compete on the road at various events from coast to coast. Not every student-athlete will participate in every tournament listed on the schedule.

The team's first competitions are set for September 11-14, with select players traveling to San Francisco for the Battle In The Bay Classic at the California Tennis Club. That same weekend, other athletes will take part in the Louisville Invite from September 12-14.

During the following week, Illinois may send participants to four different events: two professional tournaments—the Columbus Challenger and ITF Fayetteville Futures—and two collegiate competitions—the Harvard Chowderfest in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Everybody vs. Cancer Invitational in Toledo, Ohio—scheduled for September 19-21.

The ITA All-American Championships in Tulsa, Oklahoma (September 20-28), marks one of four NCAA qualifying events this fall. This tournament offers opportunities for ten singles players and four doubles teams to secure places at November’s NCAA championships. Other tournaments scheduled that week include the Las Vegas Challenger, ITF Ann Arbor Futures, Milwaukee Tennis Classic, and Fighting Irish Invite.

Rounding out September are appearances at the Tiburon Challenger in California and ITF Winston-Salem Futures.

In October, three collegiate tournaments—the Redbird Invite, MSU Invite, and Hope College RSM Invite—are planned for October 3-5. The following weeks feature a series of professional competitions such as Fairfield Challenger (October 5-12), PTT Champaign (October 6-12), ITF Lexington Futures (October 6-12), Lincoln Challenger (October 12-19), and ITF East Lansing Futures (October 13-19). Collegiate play resumes with the ITA Midwest Regional Championship starting October 16 in Chicago; top finishers here can also qualify for nationals. Last year’s runner-up Kenta Miyoshi earned a spot at nationals through this event.

Later in October brings more pro tournaments: Sioux Falls Challenger (October 19-26), ITF Norman Futures (October 20-26), Charlottesville Challenger (October 26-November 2), and ITF Harlingen Futures (October 27-November 2). The Big Ten Singles Championships close out October into early November in Madison, Wisconsin.

November opens with participation in Knoxville Challenger alongside two final NCAA qualifying opportunities: ITA Central Sectional (November 6-9) in Ann Arbor—which advances six singles players and three doubles duos—and ITA Conference Masters Championships (November 6-9) in San Diego—where four singles players and three doubles pairs can earn national berths.

Atkins Tennis Center is set to host a professional ATP event—the Champaign Challenger—from November 9-16. The Illini's fall season concludes November 18-23 with competition at the NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships held in Orlando, Florida.

"Head coach Brad Dancer enters his 21st season at the helm of the program during the team's 2025–26 season," according to Illinois Athletics.