Doubles has not been the men’s tennis team’s strong point in recent years – until now.

The Illini swept the doubles competition this weekend at the Napa Valley Invitational hosted by California, despite the fact that the same teams had hardly ever, if ever, played together before.

Several of the sophomores joined forces, including Brandon Davis and Kevin Anderson, as well as Ruben Gonzales and Ryan Rowe. Seniors Pramod Dabir and Ryler DeHeart teamed up together, too. Sophomore Monte Tucker helped freshman Marc Spicijaric adjust to college competition when they joined forces in doubles.

Although the new doubles combinations were more effective than the teams the Illini have put on the courts in the past, Illinois head coach Brad Dancer was not satisfied with the results.

“Even though our doubles record was good,” Dancer said. “Our doubles left something to be desired.”

But the season is just beginning and the Illini, who are still fairly young – the core of the team is the five-deep sophomore class – have a lot of time to improve before team competition begins in the spring.

“It was a matter of watching the guys, observing the guys,” Dancer said.

This was, afterall, the first time that Illinois assistant head coach Kent Kinnear saw the Illini compete. Before this weekend, he had only coached the men in informal practices. Team practice starts today.

Although their doubles performances may not have been as good as Dancer expected, several of the Illini made quite an impression on their coaches with their singles performances.

Illinois senior Ryler DeHeart, who is the nation’s No.1 singles player, finished the weekend undefeated. DeHeart topped Georgia’s Matic Omerzel, North Carolina’s Raian Luchichi and California’s Tyler Browne.

Anderson, another top-20 player, was also undefeated. He finished the weekend with a perfect record and wins over Georgia’s Strahinja Bobusic, North Carolina’s Brad Pomeroy and California’s Daniel Sebescen.

“It was an encouraging start to the semester, and to the whole year as well,” Anderson said.

As well as being able to start competition on a positive note, the Illini were also able to become better acquainted with the team’s newest arrivals.

Throughout the fall, there are few tournaments that the Illinois team will compete at together.

Next weekend, for example, several of the Illini will travel to the Purdue Fall Tournament while the rest of the team heads to the Alabama Invitational in Tuscaloosa.

Spicijaric wasted no time impressing his new teammates.

He won two of his three singles matches, topping Georgia’s Jason Varela and North Carolina’s David Stone. His lone loss came to California’s Lennart Maack, one of the Bears more talented players.

Tucker, a sophomore on the team, said the freshman did not appear at all nervous, despite making his collegiate debut for the Illini.

One reason this tournament is an especially memorable one for the members of the men’s tennis team is because the men stay with host families, creating a more supportive environment.

“For the most part, we all have a great time together,” Tucker said. “When we get the chance to goof off together, we do it. It was just as great as it was last year.”