Illinois goes for NCAA tennis sweep

May 25, 2003 Print it

ATHENS, Ga. -- Illinois already won the NCAA men's tennis team championship. Now the Fighting Illini will go for the sweep in the singles and doubles competition.

Third-seeded Amer Delic reached the singles final against No. 2 Benedikt Dorsch of Baylor, while Illinois' doubles team of Rajeev Ram and Brian Wilson beat top-seeded twins Richard and William Barker of Rice.

Delic defeated Washington's Alex Vlaski 7-6 (7-1), 3-6, 6-2. The two played a week ago in the round of 16 in the team tournament, when their match was suspended after Illinois won 4-2.

"I knew that he was a tough player," Delic said. "I led 5-4, but he had led me 4-2. I knew it would be close."

Dorsch was pushed to the limit as well by Miami's Todd Widom, who had three match points in the third-set tiebreaker. Dorsch won 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (11-9).

No team has swept all three titles with different players in the singles and doubles finals since 1971, when UCLA's Jimmy Connors won the singles and teammates Haroon Ruhim and Jeff Borowiak won the doubles.

Wilson and Ram beat the Barkers 7-6 (7-1), 7-5, despite a nasty fall by Wilson near the end of the second set.

Waiting for the Illinois players will be the second-seeded tandem of San Diego State's Oliver Maiberger and Ryan Redondo, who beat last year's runners-up, Scott Lipsky and David Martin of Stanford 6-4, 6-4.


Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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