Illinois goes for NCAA Tennis sweep

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Posted 5:53AM on Monday, May 26, 2003

ATHENS - With the team championship already in the bag, Illinois will go for the triple crown of college tennis after the Illini placed finalists in both the singles and doubles. Third seed Amer Delic reached the singles finals against second seed Benedikt Dorsch of Baylor, while Illinois' doubles team of Rajeev Ram and Brian Wilson ousted the top-seeded twins Richard and William Barker of Rice. Delic defeated Washington's Alex Vlaski, 7-6 (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.'' Delic started strong, winning his first 16 points on his serve, despite a sore shoulder. ``I warmed up well,'' said Delic. ``I knew that I needed to start off well. I had to be aggressive. Thats my game. He is too good of a baseliner for us to try to grind it out. Wed probably still be out there.'' Dorsch was pushed to the limit as well by Miami's Todd Widom, who had three match points in the decisive third-set tiebreaker. Dorsch won 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (9). ``Nothing is for granted in the NCAAs,'' said Dorsch. Widom's best chance to close out the match came on his final match point, when a backhand down the line landed just wide. ``Todd is everything that is good about college tennis,'' said Baylor Coach Matt Knoll. ``Going for his shot under pressure like that is why he'll have a long career in tennis.'' Dorsch and Delic played each other twice this year, splitting their matches. ``It is always a tough, tough match,'' said Dorsch. Widom has played Delic five times, losing all five times. ``You can compare it to when Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi play,'' said Widom. ``Amer will try to serve and volley, and Benedikt will have to come up with some passing shots like Agassi.'' If Illinois wins the singles and doubles, it will be the first team to accomplish the feat since Georgia in 2000. However, no team has swept all three titles with different players in the individual 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 Rice's Barker boys, 7-6 (1), 7-5, despite a nasty fall by Wilson near the end of the second set. Waiting for them in the finals will be the second seeds, San Diego State's Oliver Maiberger and Ryan Redondo, who beat last year's runnersup, Scott Lipsky and David Martin of Stanford, 6-4, 6-4.