Singles wins and a strong #3 doubles finish give KTC the edge over B4B in a close USTA league match.
URBANA — KTC edged closer to the pinnacle of the USTA Men's 3.5 league standings, clinching a hard-fought 3-2 triumph against B4B at Atkins Tennis Center on Wednesday night. The victory lifts KTC into a tie for first place alongside the Spin Doctors, setting up key matchups in the coming weeks.
Yongjoo Jung set the tone for KTC in singles play, securing his third win of the season with a composed 6-3, 6-4 decision over Lorenzo Vergari at the #1 spot. Jung has shown versatility this year, competing across multiple league levels, including 4.0 and 6.5 Combo action.
Andy Hur followed with a commanding performance at #2 singles, rolling past Robbie Bauer 6-0, 6-3 to give KTC early control. The team sealed its victory at #3 doubles, where Lino Jo and Sung Min Moon turned in a dominant 6-2, 6-1 effort against Tim Ellis and Charles Nerone.
B4B answered back in a pair of tightly contested doubles matches. At #1 doubles, Nitin Bhosale and Joseph Reiter edged Andrew Diep and Kim Junghyun in a comeback, 6-7, 6-3, 1-0. Meanwhile, Steve Mertens and Christopher Stewart secured another point for B4B, rallying past Jaemin Yang and Yoochan Shin 6-2, 4-6, 1-0 in a gritty effort.
Looking ahead, KTC will take on the Smokin’ Aces, who are coming off a 5-0 loss to the Spin Doctors. B4B aims to bounce back against those same Spin Doctors and hand them their first defeat of the season.
The defending champs made an early-season statement with a 5-0 win over the only the team to hand them a loss in their last 10 matches.
CHAMPAIGN — The Spin Doctors opened their USTA Men’s 3.5 league title defense in dominant fashion Wednesday night, sweeping all five matches against the Smokin’ Aces at Atkins Tennis Center. The defending champs made an early-season statement with a 5-0 win that highlighted their depth and adaptability across both singles and doubles play.
At the top of the singles lineup, Gaston Suardiaz rolled past Pete Hoppin 6-1, 6-2, while Doyeon Kim backed him up with a 6-1, 6-3 win over Jay Rafi at No. 2. Both matches were controlled from the baseline, with the Spin Doctors dictating pace and placement early. The Aces, still adjusting to outdoor conditions, couldn’t match the consistency of their counterparts.
Doubles play offered a mix of momentum shifts and strategic battles. At No. 1, the Aces’ Patrick Hammie and Andy Wilke came out hot, taking the opening set 6-3 for the only set win for their team all night. But the Spin Doctors' Paul Cheung and Ben Lee settled in and stole the match in a deciding tiebreak, 3-6, 6-4, 1-0 (5). Meanwhile, John Delanois and Christopher Sisson powered past Ryan Lepp and Ryan Grosso 6-1, 6-3. Though Lepp and Grosso began to find their rhythm outdoors in the second set, pairing kept the Aces at arm’s length.
The night closed with Hans Dee and Geoffrey Lin claiming a 6-4, 6-2 win over Dan Maloney and Travis Davis. Aces captain Clark Brooks had hoped the pair’s speed would tilt the match, but the Spin Doctors' adjustments stifled their usual mix of angles and touch.
The Aces face KTC next Wednesday at 7 p.m., while the Spin Doctors take on B4B at 6 p.m. at Atkins Tennis Center.
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