Friday, March 21
Urbana, Ill.
4:00 PM
UCLA
4
at
1
Illinois
Emon van Loben Sels
Photo by: Mac Brown
Men's Tennis Wins 4-1 at No. 23 Illinois
March 21, 2025 | Men's Tennis
URBANA, Ill. โ The UCLA men's tennis program's first-ever road Big Ten Conference match was recorded as a ranked win for the Bruins, who defeated No. 23 Illinois 4-1 Friday evening at Atkins Tennis Center.
Emon van Loben Sels played the part of hero, posting the clinching victory. Alexander Hoogmartens and Aadarsh Tripathi were also triumphant in singles play for UCLA (5-6, 3-0 in Big Ten play), which started its day by picking up the doubles point. The Fighting Illini (9-6, 3-2) got on the scoreboard late in the match, with Mathis Derbu tallying the host team's lone singles win.
Illinois held the initial advantage in doubles play, as Tyler Bowers and Kenta Miyoshi defeated Hoogmartens and Giacomo Revelli 6-2 on Court 1. The Bruins bounced back on Court 3, where the pair of van Loben Sels and Gianluca Ballotta rolled to its second victory in as many tries, registering its latest by a 6-2 margin versus Debru and Max Mroz.
In the deciding match, Tripathi and Rudy Quan took the final three games opposite William Mroz and Zach Viiala to prevail 6-4 on Court 2. The win marked the tandem's first in dual-match competition.
Each team took three singles first sets, with Hoogmartens and van Loben Sels each taking six of seven games played. Hoogmartens topped his first-set effort in the second, defeating Bowers 6-1, 6-0 on Court 4. Hoogmartens has won each of his most recent five singles contests played and leads UCLA with nine dual-match singles victories.
The Bruins saw their lead grow to 3-0 when No. 120 Tripathi downed Viiala 6-4, 6-0 on Court 5. Tripathi has logged back-to-back singles wins to run his dual-match total to five.
The Fighting Illini chipped away at its deficit on Court 6, where Debru bested Revelli 6-4, 6-4. Illinois was within two games of victories on Courts 1 and 2 when van Loben Sels took charge against Jeremy Zhang. Leading by one set and knotted at 4-4 in the second, the UCLA redshirt sophomore seized the final two games for a 6-1, 6-4 clincher โ his second of the year.
The Bruins return to action Sunday at 10 a.m. PT, when they visit Northwestern's Combe Tennis Center.
Tennis Match Results
UCLA vs Illinois
3/21/2025 at Urbana, IL
(Atkins Tennis Center)
#41 UCLA 4, #23 Illinois 1
Singles competition
1. #16 Kenta Miyoshi (ILL) vs. #29 Rudy Quan (UCLA) 7-6 (7-5), 5-1, unfinished
2. #62 William Mroz (ILL) vs. Kaylan Bigun (UCLA) 6-2, 3-6, 4-0, unfinished
3. #75 Emon van Loben Sels (UCLA) def. Jeremy Zhang (ILL) 6-1, 6-4
4. Alexander Hoogmartens (UCLA) def. Tyler Bowers (ILL) 6-1, 6-0
5. #120 Aadarsh Tripathi (UCLA) def. Zach Viiala (ILL) 6-4, 6-0
6. Mathis Debru (ILL) def. Giacomo Revelli (UCLA) 6-4, 6-4
Doubles competition
1. Tyler Bowers/Kenta Miyoshi (ILL) def. Alexander Hoogmartens/Giacomo Revelli (UCLA) 6-2
2. Rudy Quan/Aadarsh Tripathi (UCLA) def. William Mroz/Zach Viiala (ILL) 6-4
3. Gianluca Ballotta/Emon van Loben Sels (UCLA) def. Mathis Debru/Max Mroz (ILL) 6-2
Match Notes:
UCLA 5-6; National ranking #41
Illinois 9-6; National ranking #23
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (4,5,6,3)
Emon van Loben Sels played the part of hero, posting the clinching victory. Alexander Hoogmartens and Aadarsh Tripathi were also triumphant in singles play for UCLA (5-6, 3-0 in Big Ten play), which started its day by picking up the doubles point. The Fighting Illini (9-6, 3-2) got on the scoreboard late in the match, with Mathis Derbu tallying the host team's lone singles win.
Illinois held the initial advantage in doubles play, as Tyler Bowers and Kenta Miyoshi defeated Hoogmartens and Giacomo Revelli 6-2 on Court 1. The Bruins bounced back on Court 3, where the pair of van Loben Sels and Gianluca Ballotta rolled to its second victory in as many tries, registering its latest by a 6-2 margin versus Debru and Max Mroz.
In the deciding match, Tripathi and Rudy Quan took the final three games opposite William Mroz and Zach Viiala to prevail 6-4 on Court 2. The win marked the tandem's first in dual-match competition.
Each team took three singles first sets, with Hoogmartens and van Loben Sels each taking six of seven games played. Hoogmartens topped his first-set effort in the second, defeating Bowers 6-1, 6-0 on Court 4. Hoogmartens has won each of his most recent five singles contests played and leads UCLA with nine dual-match singles victories.
The Bruins saw their lead grow to 3-0 when No. 120 Tripathi downed Viiala 6-4, 6-0 on Court 5. Tripathi has logged back-to-back singles wins to run his dual-match total to five.
The Fighting Illini chipped away at its deficit on Court 6, where Debru bested Revelli 6-4, 6-4. Illinois was within two games of victories on Courts 1 and 2 when van Loben Sels took charge against Jeremy Zhang. Leading by one set and knotted at 4-4 in the second, the UCLA redshirt sophomore seized the final two games for a 6-1, 6-4 clincher โ his second of the year.
The Bruins return to action Sunday at 10 a.m. PT, when they visit Northwestern's Combe Tennis Center.
Tennis Match Results
UCLA vs Illinois
3/21/2025 at Urbana, IL
(Atkins Tennis Center)
#41 UCLA 4, #23 Illinois 1
Singles competition
1. #16 Kenta Miyoshi (ILL) vs. #29 Rudy Quan (UCLA) 7-6 (7-5), 5-1, unfinished
2. #62 William Mroz (ILL) vs. Kaylan Bigun (UCLA) 6-2, 3-6, 4-0, unfinished
3. #75 Emon van Loben Sels (UCLA) def. Jeremy Zhang (ILL) 6-1, 6-4
4. Alexander Hoogmartens (UCLA) def. Tyler Bowers (ILL) 6-1, 6-0
5. #120 Aadarsh Tripathi (UCLA) def. Zach Viiala (ILL) 6-4, 6-0
6. Mathis Debru (ILL) def. Giacomo Revelli (UCLA) 6-4, 6-4
Doubles competition
1. Tyler Bowers/Kenta Miyoshi (ILL) def. Alexander Hoogmartens/Giacomo Revelli (UCLA) 6-2
2. Rudy Quan/Aadarsh Tripathi (UCLA) def. William Mroz/Zach Viiala (ILL) 6-4
3. Gianluca Ballotta/Emon van Loben Sels (UCLA) def. Mathis Debru/Max Mroz (ILL) 6-2
Match Notes:
UCLA 5-6; National ranking #41
Illinois 9-6; National ranking #23
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (4,5,6,3)
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
1,3,2
#1 Singles Match
123
610
Kenta Miyoshi / 0 (16/-) [ILL]
75UF
#2 Singles Match
1234
2600
William Mroz / 0 (62/-) [ILL]
634UF
#3 Singles Match
12
66
Jeremy Zhang / 0 [ILL]
14
#4 Singles Match
12
66
Tyler Bowers / 0 [ILL]
10
#5 Singles Match
12
66
Zach Viiala / 0 [ILL]
40
#6 Singles Match
12
44
Mathis Debru / 0 [ILL]
66
Order of Finish:
4,5,6,3
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
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