Illini seeking stability at No. 3 doubles
The following post was written by staff writer Alex Iniguez.
Today, I’m digging deeper into Illinois men’s tennis’ woes at the No. 3 doubles spot.
Head coach Brad Dancer has tried out four different combinations at the position, which has been a troublesome spot in the Illini attack all season.
Here are the four combinations used at the No. 3 spot and their records:
Waylon Chin/Marc Spicijaric (5-4)
Connor Roth/Abe Souza (1-1)
Marc Spicijaric/Connor Roth (3-2)
Brandon Davis/Waylon Chin (6-1, led 5-4 in only unfinished match)
Overall Record: 14-8
In contrast, the No. 1 and No. 2 spots have a 35-11 record combined.
After the team’s loss at Wisconsin, Dancer speculated that his team may not be good enough to recover and win a match after losing the doubles point. I’d have to agree with him from what I’ve seen up to this point. Illinois’ record when losing the doubles point is 0-5. When winning the doubles point, the Illini are 16-2.
Before teaming with Chin, Davis played primarily at No. 1 and No. 2 doubles with Gonzales. The duo had plenty of triumphs, but Davis seems better fit to provide some crucial senior leadership to the No. 3 spot. Dancer recognizes the fact that he kept Davis paired with Gonzales for too long.
So has the newfound success at No. 3 doubles translated to team victories?
Since pairing Davis with Chin, the Orange and Blue have only dropped one match – a 5-2 loss to No. 2 Ohio State. In that time, Illinois defeated four top-50 teams – No. 41 Kentucky, No. 40 Penn State, No. 37 Indiana and No. 17 Michigan.
“It’s a pretty good combination because he hits pretty good returns and has a decent serve, so I’m able to use my strengths at the net,” Davis said. “I’ve been playing solid return games, and we’ve just been meshing lately.”
Dancer may have found the right combination to fill the No. 3 doubles spot. Sure, if Chin and Davis were paired earlier, some outcomes might have been different, but it seems the Illini are getting solid play at the No. 3 spot when it matters most.
Chin and Davis have solidified the spot, and the tandem could be just what this Illinois team needs. If Davis and Chin can keep up their impressive play, the Illini could not only be looking at a strong showing in the Big Ten Championships, but also at another deep NCAA Tournament run.
“Brandon’s skill and ability to dominate the doubles court is maybe unparalleled in college tennis,” Dancer said. “We need to find the right person to complement Brandon, but Waylon’s done a pretty good job at it so far.”