Big 10 Tennis

I don't see how he could call that out! That is an egregious hook.

It's like he was wishing/expecting it to go out, and when it landed in he had already decided to call it out and didn't want to play it.
 
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The 2nd ranked team in the country fired their coach because he was taking money to enroll students through the program meaning the entire team and program is dirty

But this one call is the end of the world
 

NoChance

Rookie
Of course, it is not the end of the world; maybe it is time to stop talking about it. It is not like the comments could have changed reality.

That said, the two players involved may well meet again in the B1G Tournament. Hey, I do get the B1G channel at home. Now, where is the popcorn? ; )
 

JW10S

Hall of Fame
Sometimes when I see these clips that are filmed from behind the baseline I usually give the benefit of the doubt because from behind the baseline a ball that's out can appear in--but in this case that was a terrible call, no question. No rationalization is appropriate. Hooking is rampant in college tennis and for me the blame goes to the coaching staffs more than the players. Why do the players feel the pressure to cheat? Why do they feel it's OK? It comes from the coaches. I mentioned in another thread that I witnessed a match where the associate head coach that I know of a perennial top team ran across the court to yell at the umpire when the opponent called a ball out. I was there and the ball was clearly out. But the coach yelled to the umpire 'that's a terrible call, what are you doing?'. After the match I spoke with the coach and said 'you know that ball was out, right?', and he said 'I know, I was just planting a seed so we might get a call later.' When I played for a national championship team our coach would say 'do not do anything that embarrasses me, your teammates, or this school'. I don't think current coaches do that, it's all about 'just win baby so I keep my job'.
 
The 2nd ranked team in the country fired their coach because he was taking money to enroll students through the program meaning the entire team and program is dirty

But this one call is the end of the world

It's not the end of the world, and he may have ended up winning anyway, but to call that at 7-6, 6-6 (4-2) when the team score is 3-2 and the other match is just starting their 3rd set is despicable. There is a huge difference between 5-2 and 4-3 with your opponent on serve. It's like he just didn't want to have to play another set.
 

JW10S

Hall of Fame
But this one call is the end of the world
Not this one call as it is not a isolated event, but calls like it are rampant in college tennis and they are hurting the sport's credibility, this is just the latest instance. And one of the worst. As I mentioned above the players are feeling the pressure to cheat, where is that pressure coming from? The coaches, that's where. It was a terrible call and the player's coach should discipline the player, but he won't because he just wants to keep his job. After all, a win is a win, no matter how you get it. I loved playing college tennis and still love watching it but hate that this is what it is becoming...
 
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NoChance

Rookie
This situation speaks to the terrible shortage of officials working college tennis nowadays. Even worse, the lack of good chair umpires to work difficult matches is a complete emergency. It is difficult for assignors to even find enough chair umpires to staff the major conference matches. Most of them are OK/good/really good. Some are not. There is no way to cover matches with any more than a chair umpire (except for doubles/far sideline, and other umpires being available when their matches are over). Two other factors are at play. Colleges won't (and can't) pay for more than a chair umpire on each court. And, the pool of quality chair umpires is getting older. I worked a Big 12 match this season, and at 66 years old, I was the youngest official.
 

JW10S

Hall of Fame
This situation speaks to the terrible shortage of officials working college tennis nowadays. Even worse, the lack of good chair umpires to work difficult matches is a complete emergency. It is difficult for assignors to even find enough chair umpires to staff the major conference matches. Most of them are OK/good/really good. Some are not. There is no way to cover matches with any more than a chair umpire (except for doubles/far sideline, and other umpires being available when their matches are over). Two other factors are at play. Colleges won't (and can't) pay for more than a chair umpire on each court. And, the pool of quality chair umpires is getting older. I worked a Big 12 match this season, and at 66 years old, I was the youngest official.
Oh please. This is NOT the official's fault, the player made the call. The player should not have made the call. It's the player's fault. The coaches should instill in the players that calls like that not acceptable, but they don't. I amazed at how many people in this thread are putting blame on anyone but the player or his coach. Ridiculous. Back when I played only the national championships had umpires, most dual matches didn't, and there wasn't the kind of cheating that goes on now. Cheating was frowned upon, now I almost believe it is encouraged.
 
Oh please. This is NOT the official's fault, the player made the call. The player should not have made the call. It's the player's fault. The coaches should instill in the players that calls like that not acceptable, but they don't. I amazed at how many people in this thread are putting blame on anyone but the player or his coach. Ridiculous. Back when I played only the national championships had umpires, most dual matches didn't, and there wasn't the kind of cheating that goes on now. Cheating was frowned upon, now I almost believe it is encouraged.

When I played high school tennis back in the 1980's our coach used to encourage us to call anything close out. He was also really big on playing all kinds of mind games to get an edge on your opponent. Some coaches just believe and teach win at all costs.
 

andfor

Legend
I was at a match recently and watched a player get overruled. He then started chirping at the chair umpire. Before he could get two words out his coach stepped in, stopped him and told him to call the lines fair and he would not be overruled. While cheating or bad calls does occur, I see acts of sportsmanship and fair play at almost every college match.
 
It's really weird. At the beginning of the season, everyone thought the Illini's weakness would be the top of their lineup and their strength would be their depth. As it turned out, Kovacevic has been awesome and their top three have been really good lately. Montsi keeps improving and has become solid at 4. Now they are having trouble winning against good teams at 5 & 6. Not sure what is going on with Mayo, Khlif, Gomes, and Budic. Seems like the bottom of their lineup keeps changing. Really missing a healthy Caleb (who's now left the team).
 

Okes

New User
It's really weird. At the beginning of the season, everyone thought the Illini's weakness would be the top of their lineup and their strength would be their depth. As it turned out, Kovacevic has been awesome and their top three have been really good lately. Montsi keeps improving and has become solid at 4. Now they are having trouble winning against good teams at 5 & 6. Not sure what is going on with Mayo, Khlif, Gomes, and Budic. Seems like the bottom of their lineup keeps changing. Really missing a healthy Caleb (who's now left the team).
Why did Caleb leave team?
 
It's really weird. At the beginning of the season, everyone thought the Illini's weakness would be the top of their lineup and their strength would be their depth. As it turned out, Kovacevic has been awesome and their top three have been really good lately. Montsi keeps improving and has become solid at 4. Now they are having trouble winning against good teams at 5 & 6. Not sure what is going on with Mayo, Khlif, Gomes, and Budic. Seems like the bottom of their lineup keeps changing. Really missing a healthy Caleb (who's now left the team).

That, and they keep losing the doubles point. Tough to win against a good team when you have to consistently win 4 singles matches.
 

jcgatennismom

Hall of Fame
@illinoisportsfan @roxiap12
Too bad about Caleb's transfer. He was a guy who won some Future Quali matches before he started college so obviously he was serious about tennis. Mayo has an ATP point for qualifying at Champaign Challenger last Nov, had some great wins vs UNC and Texas in early Feb but has not done much since. I have been fans of Zeke and Kovacevic ever since NCAA Athens 2017 where they brought a lot of energy as freshmen. Kova has had a great year and maybe he call pull a Fenty and beat Wolf in NCAAs now that JJ has shown he is not invincible. However, I like both Wolf and Kova-would rather see one of them win than a Wake guy again. I also hope Kova gets a chance to play some Futures this summer-really hard for players to get in now but hopefully he will receive some WCs to the ones near Illinois. He is probably one of the highest ranked US college players without an ATP ranking; he probably does have some ITF world points but a few of those don't get you entry. It's ironic Mayo is ATP ranked, but Kova isnt-sometimes it is just the luck of the draw at pro tourneys. Brown has improved his game late this spring after a slow start this winter. My son and his dubs partner had a chance to warm up with Kovacevic when he was a junior at his club in Boca before Nat Clays, and son said both Kova and coach were really nice-that was back when Kova was still a 4 star before he had a great end to his senior year.
 
Happy for Alex Brown getting payback on McNally.

Ohio State too tough this year again. Hopefully, Illinois can beat them next year as they will have everyone back (minus Chakravarthi, who's already gone). Their top four should be really good with Kova, Brown, Clark, and Montsi. It would be great if Gomes could bet back to the level he was at as a frosh before his injury. He was a good #3 back then.

Illinois could still do some damage this season, but they should definitely be a top-10 team next year.
 
Not to be a downer as an Illini fan, but our success nationally and in the B10 depends a lot on OSU. Is Wolf coming back? I know they lose Joyce and Tubert, but they also have a pretty good recruiting class coming in.
 
Not to be a downer as an Illini fan, but our success nationally and in the B10 depends a lot on OSU. Is Wolf coming back? I know they lose Joyce and Tubert, but they also have a pretty good recruiting class coming in.

I don't agree. Certainly, tOSU will be formidable next year with or without Wolf. It won't help that next year their regular season match will be in Columbus, so that's going to be challenge.

But at the national level, Illinois could theoretically not face the Buckeyes until the national championship match, depending on which side of the draw they are on. Plus, there too many other elite teams out there to only be focused on Ohio State.
 
Not to be a downer as an Illini fan, but our success nationally and in the B10 depends a lot on OSU. Is Wolf coming back? I know they lose Joyce and Tubert, but they also have a pretty good recruiting class coming in.
JJ Wolf is only 20 years old but already in the top 150 of world in UTR rating.
if he turns pro this summer (I will frankly be shocked if he returns for his senior year) his “floor” on the pro tour is top 100 in 12 months and ceiling of top 25 in 3 years.
With that lofty expectation...
He did have a rough Big 10 tournament, lost vs the freshman at Michigan and was trailing Illinois when the OSU win was sealed.
You are right about the recruiting class. 2019 grad cannon Kingsley when he enrolls will be the highest UTR (13.94) on the Buckeye team even above the #24 and #58 ITA ranked Buckeyes who are set to return.
 
I don't agree. Certainly, tOSU will be formidable next year with or without Wolf. It won't help that next year their regular season match will be in Columbus, so that's going to be challenge.

But at the national level, Illinois could theoretically not face the Buckeyes until the national championship match, depending on which side of the draw they are on. Plus, there too many other elite teams out there to only be focused on Ohio State.

Yeah, you’re probably right, at least concerning how the Illini will fair overall. The Buckeyes have been so tough for so long - I just keep hoping/praying we can make it more of a rivalry.
 
Just curious, any serious Ohio State fans know how many outdoor matches the team has played this year? I know the entire Big 10 tournament was indoors.....I can think of the 2 in Texas of course, any other outdoor matches or is the whole Big 10 regular season indoors?
 
Just curious, any serious Ohio State fans know how many outdoor matches the team has played this year? I know the entire Big 10 tournament was indoors.....I can think of the 2 in Texas of course, any other outdoor matches or is the whole Big 10 regular season indoors?
Not sure what qualifies as a serious OSU follower but from the schedule …. Looks like only 6 outdoor matches played by Buckeyes this spring.
The two matches you mention in Texas (both losses) and then 4 Big ten matches April 5 at Nebraska; April 7 at Iowa, April 14 at Illinois and April 21 vs. Indiana.
 

Nacho

Hall of Fame
Not sure what qualifies as a serious OSU follower but from the schedule …. Looks like only 6 outdoor matches played by Buckeyes this spring.
The two matches you mention in Texas (both losses) and then 4 Big ten matches April 5 at Nebraska; April 7 at Iowa, April 14 at Illinois and April 21 vs. Indiana.

Thats correct....its pretty impossible to play decent outdoor tennis in Ohio November-April.
 

Okes

New User
Not sure what qualifies as a serious OSU follower but from the schedule …. Looks like only 6 outdoor matches played by Buckeyes this spring.
The two matches you mention in Texas (both losses) and then 4 Big ten matches April 5 at Nebraska; April 7 at Iowa, April 14 at Illinois and April 21 vs. Indiana.
Illinois was inside. Don’t know about the other ones.
 
Makes it so tough, OSU has a great indoor team but I don't see it for outdoors, I think they will need a couple rain days in Orlando if they want to win it all.
 

Nacho

Hall of Fame
Makes it so tough, OSU has a great indoor team but I don't see it for outdoors, I think they will need a couple rain days in Orlando if they want to win it all.

Definitely more vulnerable outside, but Wolf is still a solid 1; it will really depend on how the depth does. Certainly anything indoors is an advantage for OSU
 

W4TA

New User

This is not an isolated incident with McNally. It is nice to see McNally recognized. Too bad there are not consequences for cheating. It is also a shame that line judges very rarely do their jobs and prevent this kind of nonsense.
In today's quarter final against North Carolina, down 4-5, 30-30 in the third and returning, McNally was overruled on his out call (which appeared in on the replay).

Huge swing... the out call would have put McNally up 40-30 with a chance to break and even it up. Instead, he was overruled and North Carolina went up 40-30 for match point, winning it on the next point. Glad there was an attentive official in the chair.
 

tennisfan17

Professional
In today's quarter final against North Carolina, down 4-5, 30-30 in the third and returning, McNally was overruled on his out call (which appeared in on the replay).

Huge swing... the out call would have put McNally up 40-30 with a chance to break and even it up. Instead, he was overruled and North Carolina went up 40-30 for match point, winning it on the next point. Glad there was an attentive official in the chair.
Was watching live. Had to do a double take when I saw it called wide! This is the second time I have seen McNally involved in a wild Out call.
 
Awesome! Dancer has done really well recruiting the Plains region.

Has anyone heard how #3 Alex Lee from Hinsdale is leaning? It would be great to get a couple top-10 guys to replace Kovacevic and Clark.

Reported that he is going to Stanford. Remember that he only moved to Chicago a couple of years ago and is originally from California
 

3GirlsTennis

New User
How about those Iliini women??
:)

I think they are going to have a great year and only getting better. I am a bit biased...

Excited for the college tennis to start again (even if it is just the fall tourneys).
 

vandre

Hall of Fame
i took my eight year old to our local futures tournament where he saw Aleks Kovacevic win a couple rounds. Aleks signed a ball for my son and took time to talk to him after his match. my son had to go back to the tournament every day until Aleks was out of the tournament (in both singles and doubles). i now have reason to believe my boy is an irreparable tennis nut! Aleks is a great ambassador for the u of i and the game!

***this isn't really related to the previous posts but i just decided to share it here***
 
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jcgatennismom

Hall of Fame
i took my eight year old to our local futures tournament where he saw Aleks Kovacevic win a couple rounds. Aleks signed a ball for my son and took time to talk to him after his match. my son had to got back to the tournament every day until Aleks was out of the tournament (in both singles and doubles). i now have reason to believe my boy is an irreparable tennis nut! Aleks is a great ambassador for the u of i and the game!

***this isn't really related to the previous posts but i just decided to share it here***
Aleks seems like a nice kid. My son said he got to hit with him some years back at his Boca club at Nat Clays-coach invited players who were there for practice to hit in. Aleks was a bit of a late bloomer-4 star at start of sr year but top 25 after Kzoo after sr year, and now playing 1 at a top 20 school and playing Futures. Great to see the late bloomers achieve success at college and beyond.
 

vandre

Hall of Fame
Aleks seems like a nice kid. My son said he got to hit with him some years back at his Boca club at Nat Clays-coach invited players who were there for practice to hit in. Aleks was a bit of a late bloomer-4 star at start of sr year but top 25 after Kzoo after sr year, and now playing 1 at a top 20 school and playing Futures. Great to see the late bloomers achieve success at college and beyond.
Aleks amazed me (and one of his opponents apparently) with the variety he could create off the backhand wing. in one of the matches he won at our tournament, he nearly faked his opponent out of his shoes by alternating spin and placement at will. his poor opponent seemed like he didn't have any more of an idea where the ball was going to go and how it was going to bounce when it got there. it was incredible (as long as you're not the one on the other side of the net)!
 

CHtennis

Rookie
How do we see the Big Ten going? Can anyone challenge OSU?

Here is how I see it tiered:

OSU - National Champion contender

Illinois
Michigan
Penn State

Indiana
Northwestern
Minnesota
Iowa

Wisconsin
Purdue
Nebraska

Michigan State


I see OSU competing for a national title again especially an indoor one. Illinois is close as always but just a step down. Michigan and Penn State should compete with Illinois to come in second.
 

jcgatennismom

Hall of Fame
Oklahoma State took down Michigan 4-0 yesterday
Mich barely beat ND indoors (4-3) today after their stellar weekend at Indoors. Styler with the clinch again. I think he needs to wear the sleeveless gold shirt each match. Seems he is wearing that when he clinches. He was wearing short sleeves when he lost in 3rd to Cukierman. Regardless that is one freshman with nerves of steel... How far will Mich drop for OK State loss? Hope they can stay in top 16 through the spring. OSU needs another good Big 10 team to spar against in April..... All the other top teams play hard conference matches in April while OSU April schedule is weak. OUtside the top 2 in Big 10, the rest of Big 10 could match up evenly with AAC teams. Penn State lost to Liberty this week.
 

jdlive

New User
Not sure what's going on with Illinois, but it's not good. Playing their usual killer schedule and....getting killed! Brown missed the Carolina trip so that didn't help. Clark is playing at #4 and struggling. The bottom half of the order used to be a strength, not so this season. Not sure what happened to Khilf? He could probably help out, maybe injured? At this rate it's going to be a disappointing season to say the least. Missing the 2 guys that transferred out of course, but even with those losses, they should be doing better.

And we're hosting the finals in 2022, unless recruiting picks up significantly looks like another missed chance to play at home.
 
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