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Wang’s Champaign-Urbana mixed doubles squad earns trip to USTA Nationals

After sweeping four sectional matches, Champaign-Urbana mixed doubles squad will represent Illinois at the USTA Nationals in Florida.

by Clark Brooks

Sentinel Sports

INDIANAPOLIS - Kai Wang’s 18-and-over 7.0 mixed doubles tennis team is headed to Orlando after a commanding performance at the Midwest USTA sectional tournament in Indianapolis. The Champaign-Urbana squad swept through four matches over the weekend, dropping only five sets out of 26 played, to punch its ticket to the national championships set for Oct. 31–Nov. 2 at the USTA National Campus.

Mixed doubles competition pairs one male and one female player, combining their strengths on the court. The combined rating of both partners can’t exceed 7.0, and their individual numbers usually can’t differ by more than one point. Common pairings include a 3.5 player with another 3.5, or a 4.0 with a 3.0.

"Everyone is super excited about going to nationals," Wang said. A three-year veteran USTA team captain, he has led three other teams to sectional competition this year. In addition to his four team, a software developer by day, also plays on two other tennis teams. "It has always been challenging for a Champaign team to get out of sectionals. This year's sectional was very strange."

Wang said the top perrenial top team from Michigan did make it out of the state this year and the Wisconsin team was without some of their best female players due the timing of the sectional championship on the calendar.

Teams typically compete on three doubles courts, with the strongest pairing on Court 1 and the weakest on Court 3. Captains sometimes shift strategy, placing stronger teams on the No. 2 or No. 3 court. To win a team match, a squad must secure victories on at least two courts.

The victory is a glowing mark for the twin-city tennis community. Wang’s team is the first Champaign-Urbana squad to reach a national USTA event since 2014, when Dee Deschler guided a women’s 55-and-over team to Nationals. This year’s group qualified for sectionals after capturing the Illinois state crown on Sept. 13 with a hard-fought 2-1 decision.

Competing at the West Indy Racquet Club, the Champaign-Urbana squad opened with a 2-1 victory Friday against Wisconsin’s state champions, Team Putti. Saturday brought back-to-back sweeps as Wang’s side rolled past Indiana’s Team Inselberg and Michigan’s Team Armante, both by 3-0 margins. On Sunday, with a trip to Florida at stake, they sealed the deal in a 2-1 triumph over Ohio’s state titleholders, Team Ung.

Strong performances carried the weekend, including undefeated 3-0 runs by doubles pairs Chris Sarol and Kyo Nakanishi, and Minsun Kim and Angad Mehta. Their consistency proved to be a key factor in the team’s sectional success.

Wang said Nakanishi was a great addition to the team this year. The Japan native has won nine of her 12 matches since starting USTA competition this summer.

"Chris has really improved this year," he added. Sarol, a former Champaign Centennial standout, is one of the top 4.0-rated USTA players in the Mid-South Illinois region. Having played 36 matches this year, he secured victories in 31 of them. "They are really good together."

Wang highlighted Mehta and Kim as his top doubles pairing.

"Angad and M.K. are our strongest team," he said. "Angad is one of the strongest 3.5 players in our area. M.K. will probably get bumped up [to the next USTA level] next year."

Mehta, an assistant professor of chemistry at the University of Illinois, said he was proud of the team’s accomplishment and grateful for the opportunity to be part of this season’s journey.

"I can’t stop thinking about this - our little team from rural Illinois, based in the middle of cornfields, becomes a state champion, then goes on to beat every other state champion at sectionals, and is now on our way to nationals," he said. Thanking his teammates, he added, "What an incredible story this is. To assemble a group like this is quite incredible."

Mehta said he is looking forward to competing on the nation’s biggest stage against teams and players from across the country.

"It should be really cool."

The roster of the advancing Champaign-Urbana team includes: Kym Man, Angad Mehta, Su A Lee, Kai Wang, Kyo Nakanishi, Jooyen Kim, Paul Cheung, Chris Sarol, Lisa Ainsworth, Ben Lee, Minsun Kim, Sung Min Moon, Teri Scaggs, Noel Castro, Patrick Hammie, and Karolyn Smith.

Box Scores:

Team Wang vs Putti, Wisconsin
FINAL: 2-1
#1 - Prathap Palaniswamy/Megan Prahl def Jooyen Kim/Kai Wang - 6-3, 6-2
#2 - Kyo Nakanishi/Chris Sarol def Abtin Molavi/Molly Moritz - 6-4, 6-1
#3 - Paul Cheung/Minsun Kim def Amberlee Baugus/Hung Mahn Nguyen - 6-3, 6-3

Team Wang vs Inselberg, Indiana
FINAL: 3-0
#1 - Sarol/Nakanishi def Shelby Ackerman/Alex Aukerman - 6-3, 4-6, 1-0
#2 - Angad Mehta/Minsun Kim def Ashley DeMello/Jacob Lewis - 6-2, 6-1
#3 - Noel Castro/Kym Man def Mallory Inselberg/Damon Grothe - 6-1, 6-1

Team Wang vs Amante, Michigan
FINAL: 3-0
#1 - Mehta/Kim def Yvonne Boucher/Patrick van Tuinen - 6-1, 6-3
#2 - Castro/Man def Gary Arp/Pam Kloet - 6-0, 6-2
#3 - Teri Scaggs/Sung Min Moon def Joe Morris/Nicole Morris - 6-2, 6-1

Team Wang vs Ung, Ohio
FINAL: 2-1
#1 - Denise Hwang/Phong Nguyen def Castro/Man - 6-3, 3-6, 1-0
#2 - Sarol/Nakanishi def Eileen Connell/Craig Nine - 6-1, 6-2
#3 - Mehta/Kim def David Blond/Marybeth Esposito - 6-2, 6-3

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.

Labor Day tennis tournament crowns champions

CHAMPAIGN - It was a hot holiday weekend of fun at Lindsey Courts for area tennis players. Five singles players and five doubles teams earned titles at the 2023 Labor Day Tennis Tournament sponsored by the Champaign Park District.

St. Joseph-Ogden head tennis coach Kevin Martlage talks to his players at his team's first practice last month. Martlage, a third-year head coach, won the Mens' 35s division consolation bracket title after defeating Travis Davis, 7-6(3), 3-6, 1-0(9), at the Labor Day Tournament.

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Out of a field of 12 area recreational players, Alejandro Gomez, from Savoy, defeated Young Kim, Champaign in straight sets 6-4, 6-0, to take the Men's Open title.

The Junior Boys 16s title went to Hunter Madigan after squaring off with Mahomet's Nolan Kogut in the title match. Undefeated in United States Tennis Association play this year at 4-0, Kogut, was moved up from the 14-year-old division. He was unable to take a game from his older opponent from Champaign, losing, 6-0, 6-0. Entering the tournament with an impressive USTA record himself, Madigan is 16-3 playing singles.

In doubles competition, Jason Zumwalt & Shaun Peterson won the Men’s Open Doubles Final. Zumwalt, the head boys' tennis coach at Centennial High School, and Peterson, an Urbana native and former teaching pro at Atkins Tennis Center were a formidable pair, cruising past Hunter Antonisse & Alejandro Gomez, 6-2, 6-1.

Below are this weekend's championship results.

Men’s Open Singles Final:
Alejandro Gomez def. Young Kim 6-4, 6-0

Men’s Open Singles Consolation Final:
David Diep def. Tony Wang 6-0, 6-1

Men’s 35 Singles Final:
Bill Cawley def. Charles Sikora 6-3, 7-6(4)

Men’s 35 Singles Consolation Final:
Kevin Martlage def. Travis Davis 7-6(3), 3-6, 1-0(9)

Men’s 55 Singles Final:
Eric Peterson def. Daniel Morris 6-2, 0-6, 1-0(8)*

Men’s 55 Singles Consolation Final:
Nitin Bhosale def. Steve Friend by default

Boy’s 16 Singles Final:
Hunter Madigan def. Nolan Kogut 6-0, 6-0

Men’s Open Doubles Final:
Jason Zumwalt & Shaun Peterson def. Hunter Antonisse & Alejandro Gomez 6-2, 6-1

Men’s Open Doubles Consolation Final:
David Diep & Chris Sarol def. Andy Wilke & Charles Sikora 6-3, 6-3

Women’s Open Doubles Final:
Cindy Crist & Sarah Kim def. Beth Hoag & Mary Sandhal 6-4, 7-6(5)

Women’s Open Doubles Consolation Final:
Shiho Gimbel & Rhoda Lewis def. Eileen McGill & Shelley Siuts 6-3, 6-2

Men’s 35 Doubles Final:
Sendhil Kumaran & Kai Wang def. Nitin Bhosale & Angad Mehta 6-1, 6-1

Men’s 35 Doubles Consolation Final:
Clark Brooks & Charles Nerone def. Jacob Rundall & Trey Smith 6-3, 6-2

Mixed Open Doubles Round Robin:
1st place Sarah Benevento & Chris Kuehn
2nd place Diane Winder & Travis Davis
3rd place Rocio Valdebenito & Ivan Flores

* This score was updated after a correction to the offical results.

Madigan wins back-to-back titles at Labor Day Tournament

Sohum Gurrapu and Hunter Madigan pose with doubles trophies

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Sohum Gurrapu (left) and Hunter Madigan pose with their double trophies after the Open Men's Doubles championship match.

Hunter Madigan defended his singles crown while teaming with Sohum Gurrapu for the doubles title at the Champaign Labor Day Tennis Tournament.

CHAMPAIGN - For the second straight year, Hunter Madigan left no doubt about his place at the top of the Champaign Park District Labor Day Tournament. The top-seeded Madigan claimed the men’s open singles title with a run that ended in a championship victory over 15-year-old Sohum Gurrapu, a sophomore at Champaign Central, in his first appearance in the open division title match.

It took Madigan, a senior at St. Thomas More High School, three sets to defeat Gurrapu 3-6, 6-1, 1-0(5).

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

David Molitor poses for a photo with his sons after winning the Beginner/Intermediate Open Singles divison. Molitor defeated Jay Rafi 6-1, 6-0 in the title match on Monday. See the list of this year's champions at the bottom of this article.

Madigan, who also qualified for the IHSA Tennis State Finals in May, dominated early-round matches. He opened with a 6-0, 6-0 shutout of Binghong Chen, then rolled past Joe Settelmyer 6-1, 6-0 in the quarterfinals. After edging David Diep in a tiebreak, Madigan stopped Daniel Canivez in a 6-0, 7-5 semifinal before earning his second consecutive title.

Gurrapu, meanwhile, made his way to the final with a breakout performance. He began with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Lang Liu before defeating former Champaign Centennial standout Daniel O’Brien, 6-3, 6-2. In the semifinal, Gurrapu held off Alejandro Gomez, a high school state finalist, in a tightly contested 7-5, 6-4 match to secure his spot opposite Madigan.

In the singles final, Madigan’s experience and steady play proved decisive against Gurrapu, who nonetheless established himself as a rising talent in the area’s tennis scene.

"Playing against him in singles is tough," Gurrapu said. "It went pretty well the first set. I was hitting pretty well, hitting some winners."

He pointed out that the second set was different story.

"In the second set, Hunter picked up his level and I think I kind of lowered mine," he said recapping the title match drama. "It was still a good tournament overall."

The tournament concluded with the men’s open doubles championship, where Madigan and Gurrapu joined forces. Facing veteran duo Sam Ryu and Lino Jo, the high school players showed poise in a straight-set victory, 6-4, 6-4, completing a memorable tournament sweep.

Photos: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

LEFT: Hunter Madigan lines up a big forehand shot during the Men's Open doubles match with Sohum Gurrapu. MIDDLE: Sohum Gurrapu slices back a serve from Sam Ryu during the Labor Day Tournament's title match on Monday. RIGHT:Ari Velasquez is all smiles with his first-place tournament trophy and swag bag. Velasquez won the Boy's 12-and-under title on Monday.

Madigan said Gurrapu is a fun partner to play with. After all, the pair have shared a friendship tempered by more than a half of decade of competition.

"The way he plays just works really with me."

Gurrapu sang praises for his partner.

"His serves are amazing. I mean his kick serve just make it too easy for me at the net," he said. "Playing singles against him is tough. I hate playing against it (the kick serve). In doubles, it's just amazing, especially when he is your partner."

Complete Champaign Park District Labor Day Tournament championship results:

Men’s Open Singles:
Main Draw Final: Hunter Madigan defeated Sohum Gurrapu 3-6, 6-1, 1-0(5)
Consolation Final: David Diep defeated Yannick Kluch 6-0, 6-1

Beginner/Intermediate Open Singles:
Main Draw Final: David Molitor defeated Jay Rafi 6-1, 6-0
Consolation Final: Christine Powell defeated Can Huang by default

Men’s 35 Singles Round Robin:
Deciding match for 1st & 2nd place: Michael Bantz defeated Charles Sikora 6-4, 7-5

Men’s 45 Singles:
Main Draw Final: Nitin Bhosale defeated Daniel Morris 3-6, 7-6(5), 1-0(4)
Consolation Final: Alex Ramos defeated Eduard Kirr 6-4, 6-0

Men’s 65 Singles Round Robin:
Deciding match for 1st & 2nd place: Steve Fentem defeated Scott Aikman 6-2, 7-5

Boy’s 12 Singles:
Main Draw Final: Ari Velasquez defeated Yususf Malik 3-0 retired
Consolation Final: William Guo defeated Edward Dyer 6-0, 6-0

Men’s Open Doubles:
Main Draw Final:
Hunter Madigan & Sohum Gurrapu defeated Sam Ryu & Lino Jo 6-4, 6-4
Consolation Final:
Eduard Kirr & Christopher Stewart defeated Elijah Walker & Tuong Dang by default

Mixed Open Doubles:
Main Draw Final::
M.K. Kim & Angad Mehta defeated Kyo Nakanishi & Paul Cheung 4-6, 6-2, 1-0(3)
Consolation Final:
Kym Man & Kevin Kim defeated Can Huang & Lang Liu 6-0, 6-1