CHAMPAIGN, November 13, 2018
Former Illini All-American Jared Hiltzik returned to his home courts on Monday nightat the 2018 JSM Challenger of Champaign-Urbana. The 24-year-old Floriad resident won straight sets to defeat teenager Jeffrey John Wolf from the United States 7-5, 7-5.
Hiltzik fired 16 aces, winning 76 per cent of his first service points to advance in one hour and 47 minutes. The World No. 440 will next take on compatriot Tommy Paul, who knocked out No. 2 seeded Frenchman Ugo Humbert 6-4, 4-6, 6-2. Paul, who clinched his maiden ATP Challenger crown in Charlottesville two weeks ago, capitalized on all of his five break point chances to prevail after one hour and 35 minutes.
Half volley goals, courtesy of @TommyPaul1 in Champaign
🔜 Into the second round at @IlliniProTennis pic.twitter.com/64g9bX794j
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) 13. November 2018
Marcel Granollers of Spain, top seed of the $75,000 ATP Challenger hard-court event, opened his title bid with a comfortable 6-1, 6-1 win over US-American alternate Alexander Ritschard. The encounter lasted only 53 minutes. Granollers awaits a qualifier from the United States in the second round, the winner of the match between Ryan Shane and Keenan Mayo.
In the only doubles match of the day, Illini duo Alex Brown and Caleb Chakravarthi fell to the US-American pair JC Aragone and Kevin King in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2.
Play on Tuesday is slated to begin at 10 a.m. local time with former Illini Ruan Roelofse and Jared Hiltzik and current Illini – Brown, Aleks Kovacevic, and Keenan Mayo to represent the Orange and Blue.
