Illinois sophomore Kevin Anderson could not capitalize on either chance to advance Wednesday at the 2005 United States Tennis Association Challenger of Champaign-Urbana.

However, Illinois will still be represented in today’s quarterfinal action.

Anderson lost to Justin Gimelstob 1-6, 4-6 in singles action.

“He’s kind of a dangerous player, he serves big,” Gimelstob said of Anderson.

Illinois head coach Brad Dancer said that although Gimelstob is an amazing athlete, Anderson could have played better.

“I do believe Kevin Anderson is capable of performing better – that is not to say winning – but performing better than he showed (yesterday),” Dancer said.

Before Anderson could dwell on the loss, he was back on the court. He and teammate Brandon Davis lost to Australians Chris Guccione and Nathan Healey.

Although Anderson was disappointed with his result, he said that he will take some positives out of the experience of competing against some of the world’s top up-in-coming tennis professionals.

“Yes, I still have some work to do,” Anderson said. “But I am very confident and motivated to put in the work to start playing better tennis.”

This was, after all, only Anderson’s first match back since the Polo Ralph Lauren/Intercollegiate Tennis Association All-American Championships in early October. It was also his first appearance in a challenger-level event.

Still, two current and two former Illinois athletes will compete in today’s quarterfinals.

Amer Delic, who won Illinois’ first and only NCAA singles title in 2003, advanced to the quarterfinals, defeating Canada’s Frank Dancevic 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 on Wednesday night.

Delic said he was frustrated in the first set when he got broken because he had fought so hard to get back into that game.

“But he served unbelievable in the first set, so I felt I never had a chance,” Delic said.

He quickly reversed his misfortune in the second set.

“I was able to put some pressure on him, and get the break,” Delic said. “It was a total momentum change. I played some good points after that, and scrambled to break him.”

Delic will take on Gimelstob in tonight’s match, which is scheduled to start not before 5. Gimelstob has won each of the men’s three previous encounters.

“All three times, I felt like I had chances but didn’t convert,” Delic said. “So I’m not going to try and do too much, it’s just not necessary. Sometimes simple play is more effective. “

Gimelstob, last year’s singles champion, said that although he has a title to defend, he has not felt any additional pressure.

“It really has no relevance, but it is nice to come off good memories,” Gimelstob said. “Obviously, I feel comfortable playing here, I’ve played here a lot of years.”

Former Illini Rajeev Ram and Gimelstob will take on 19-year-olds Scott Oudsema and Phillip Simmonds. Ram won the doubles title last year at the tournament with Brian Baker. Gimelstob finished as the doubles runner-up with Graydon Oliver, another former Illini. The doubles match will be the last match of the evening.

“I never really feel that much pressure in doubles,” Ram said. “But it would be nice to get a title again here.”

Illinois will also be represented by another doubles team during quarterfinals action – the sophomore-freshman duo of Monte Tucker and Marc Spicijaric. Tucker and Spicijaric earned the right to play Wednesday night as lucky losers when the men seniors Ryler DeHeart and Pramod Dabir were originally scheduled to play pulled out of the tournament.

Tucker and Spicijaric won 7-6 (1), 7-5 over the senior tandem, in the last match of Wednesday evening.

Spicijaric and Tucker will face Bobby Reynolds and Wesley Whitehouse tonight not before 5:30.

Despite not competing for the Illini in years, Ram said he is pleased that there are so many current and former Illinois athletes in the tournament’s quarterfinal round.

“Hopefully we can do some damage,” Ram said. “The last two nights there have been a lot of current and former Illini playing, so it has been fun.”