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Gophers Drop Tough 5-2 Battle against No. 12 Fighting Illini
4/4/2021 3:14:00 PM | Men's Tennis
A Border Battle rematch looms for Minnesota
URBANA, Ill. - The University of Minnesota men's tennis team dropped their second match of the weekend, this time falling in a tough contest to Illinois by a score of 5-2. The battle played out quite similar to the two opponents' first meeting of the season, as the Illini were able to squeeze out the victories in the close singles matches.
The Gophers' loss will put them at 7-6 on the season before they head to Madison for a Border Battle rematch next weekend. Illinois will jump to 14-2 on the season after winning their tenth-straight contest.
Doubles Play
Illinois clinched the doubles point by winning the No. 2 and No. 3 doubles matches. Vlad Lobak and Bodin Zarkovic dropped their match by a score of 6-3, while Siim Troost and Daniel Martin fell in a tight 7-5 contest.
Jackson Allen and Sebastian Vile continued to hold their own in the No. 1 doubles slot on Sunday afternoon, but yet again their match would go unfinished. Facing their second-ranked opponent in consecutive matches, Allen and Vile were knotted at 5-5 with the No. 14 pairing of Zeke Clark and Alex Brown before play was stopped.
Singles Play
The Maroon & Gold fared much better in singles play, with Jackson Allen and Bodin Zarkovic securing victories, however Illinois' ability to gain the edge in the tight matches proved to be the difference in Sunday afternoon's contest.
Allen earned the Gophers' most impressive victory on the day, making quick work of 43rd-ranked Siphos Montsi in straight sets by a score of 6-3, 6-4. Bodin Zarkovic was also impressive in his match, with his own 6-3, 6-4 win in the No. 6 slot.
Sebastian Vile, Siim Troost, and Vlad Lobak all suffered close losses in their matches, with Vile losing in the third set, and Troost and Lobak being defeated in very close straight-set contests.
Daniel Martin also lost in straight sets by a score of 6-2, 6-2.
Results
1. No. 44 Aleks Kovacevic (ILL) def. Vlad Lobak (MINN) 6-4, 7-5
2. Jackson Allen (MINN) def. No. 43 Siphosothando Montsi (ILL) 6-3, 6-4
3. No. 39 Zeke Clark (ILL) def. Siim Troost (MINN) 7-5, 6-4
4. Noe Khlif (ILL) def. Sebastian Vile (MINN) 6-0, 6-7, 6-4
5. Hunter Heck (ILL) def. Daniel Martin (MINN) 6-2, 6-2
6. Bodin Zarkovic (MINN) def. Kweisi Kenyatte (ILL) 6-3, 6-4
1. No. 14 Alex Brown/Zeke Clark (ILL) vs. Jackson Allen/Sebastian Vile (MINN) 5-5, unfinished
2. Aleks Kovacevic/Kweisi Kenyatte (ILL) def. Vlad Lobak/Bodin Zarkovic (MINN) 6-3
3. Siphosothando Montsi/Noe Khlif (ILL) def. Siim Troost/Daniel Martin (MINN) 7-5
What's Next?
The Gophers will head to Madison next weekend to take on the Wisconsin Badgers on Sunday, April 11, before coming home to host Iowa and Nebraska in the season's finale weekend.