USTA 4.0 league opener delayed

URBANA - Thanks to a fast-moving thunderstorm that brought heavy rainfall to the area, the opener 2024 Mid-South Illinois Adult 18 & Over season was put on hold forty minutes into the match between Champaign 4.0 teams Bauer and Kalantzis-Cope.

Playing at #1 singles on Court 5 at Atkins Tennis Center, K-C's Glen Yang was up 2-1 over Bauer's Adam Huls. Yang, who went 3-2 in singles last summer, notched wins over David Diep, Daniel O'Brien, and Arjun Shah. When play resumes, Huls will serve to even the score in the first set.

In the second singles contest, K-C's Parham Parastaran was up two-love over Bauer's Ignacio Arretche when Mother Nature opened the sky above Champaign-Urbana's largest outdoor tennis facility. Facing a young Argentinian with a blazing two-handed backhand, Parastaran returns to USTA competition for the first time in 12 years. Arretche will serve when the match starts.

Philip Kalantzis-Cope's team also held the advantage on two of the three doubles courts.

Duo Andrew Leakey and Andrew Hartman were a point away from winning their third game at love-40 against area newcomer David Sale and Nick LeVanti, who trailed on the scoreboard 2-1.

At #2 doubles, Tom Wilson and Santiago Romero were nursing a fragile 2-1 lead before being forced to retreat to shelter. Down 15-30 in game four, Eric Helfer was ready to serve on the deuce side before the mad dash for cover ensued with partner Steve Gardner.

On the third doubles court, Mark Woolwine was about to serve at 30-love when the mass exodus from the courts started as the rain quickly transitioned from a mist to large drops. Up 2-1, Woolwine, with partner Patrick Hartman, were dialing their intensity up, hoping to distance themselves on the scorecard from Bauer's Angad Mehta and Clark Brooks.

The match will resume on Monday, July 22, alongside an ITF Futures tournament at Atkins Tennis Center.

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