Illinois’ (15-12, 7-6) first-round loss in the NCAA tournament concluded what was an up-and-down season for the squad. After a 9-5 first half, Illinois lost seven of its remaining 13 duals. It went 1-8 in ranked duals and recorded a poor 4-9 record on the road.
On the other hand, junior Kenta Miyoshi became the seventh Illini to be named the Big Ten Player of the Year. Miyoshi was a bright spot for the Illini, being ranked No. 12 in singles in the latest rankings. Redshirt junior William Mroz also ranked inside the top 100. This season promised big things, but Illinois only made it so far.
Positive: Kenta Miyoshi singles play
Miyoshi was the most important piece for Illinois this season. He was a singles weapon this season, equaling his career-high No. 12 singles ranking. Miyoshi led Illinois’ charge with an overall 30-10 singles record and a 17-4 dual record. He was 20-8 against ranked opponents.
“Receiving the Big Ten Player of the Year and First Team All-Big Ten was an honor,” Miyoshi said. “I’m happy for that accomplishment for myself, and I really want to thank the coaches as well as the people who helped me earn that award.”
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Miyoshi also posted a respectable 14-14 doubles record. With his senior year coming up, Miyoshi should only get better and further strengthen Illinois’ lineup.
“My goal is to just constantly improve my game,” Miyoshi said. “To get stronger, mentally and physically. Next year it’s also my last season in college, so I’ve been talking with my coach about what our goals should be. I always wanted to win big titles: Big Ten championships and national titles.”
Negative: Doubles play
In their 27 spring duals, the Illini lost the doubles point in 13 of them. An initial 0-1 deficit put them on the back foot very early in most duals. Illinois recovered in some, but most were beyond rescue. Illinois lost the doubles point in nine of its 12 losses.
“We struggled a lot in doubles this season,” Miyoshi said. “I think it’s similar to singles, where we just need to be ready to play. We just needed to focus on the game itself, not just thinking about the shots or the small things.”
After starting off the season with a disappointing 3-7 record in doubles, it was clear Illinois had to make changes. The Illini tried 17 different doubles pairings throughout the season. At the end of the season, Illinois’ record in individual doubles matches was a smidgen above .500 at 33-31.
Head coach Brad Dancer narrowed the team’s doubles struggles down to returning and serving earlier this season. He put the onus on the team’s failure to consistently be good at both shots. When asked about it, Miyoshi agreed.
“The serve and return are the most important shots in the doubles,” said Miyoshi. “You start to build a point with us serving, and then if you can return as much as you can to the opponent, then it creates a lot of pressure on them. We did a little bit of a poor job of consistently serving.”
Positive: Home cooking
The Atkins Tennis Center was a fortress for the Illini this season. The team posted an impressive 7-2 record on their home court. The highlight was a 5-2 upset over then-No. 12 Michigan (15-13, 8-5) en route to their fourth straight duals victory, electrifying a packed home crowd. Atkins proved to be more than just a venue this year — it was an advantage for the Illini where the team played more confidently and composed.
“Atkins, when we’re inside, it’s loud,” Dancer said.
With the energy of the raucous crowds and comfort of familiar courts, Atkins proved to be a difference-maker all season long.
Negative: Road record
Illinois’ season hit a major roadblock when it lost five out of its first six road duals. Since 2000, the Illini have had a worse road winning percentage than this season only once — in 2021-22.
“Playing at home is much easier than going on the road,” said Miyoshi. “You don’t need to travel, you don’t need to adapt to the courts. We get to play in front of our crowds, fans, so that’s a big advantage for us when we play at home.”
Away records are crucial in a team’s success rates. The top-15 ranked teams in the country all have a winning record of at least .500 or better.
“When we go on the road, it’s tough,” Miyoshi said. “We have to travel and adapt to new conditions. And so I think we struggled a little bit there to find the bounds of adapting to those new conditions.”
With the Big Ten’s new, larger slate, there will be a lot of road duals throughout the season that will play a major role in deciding a team’s record. The Illini will need to find more success on the road if they want to post a good record.
Positive: New talent shines
One of the most exciting takeaways was the emergence of new talent. Redshirt freshman Zach Viiala and freshman Max Mroz wasted no time in becoming regular contributors to the lineup, offering a glimpse of what the future could hold for Illinois.
Viiala showed composure and comfort from the get-go, finishing with an impressive 18-13 singles record and a 9-9 mark in dual play. He tallied 16 doubles victories, nine of which came in duals, showing the versatility he brought to both sides of the game.
His standout performance came in the Big Ten Tournament Quarterfinals, where he dismantled No. 6 Chris Li with a commanding 6-3, 6-1 victory. A day earlier, he secured the doubles point against Oregon (13-13, 5-8) alongside sophomore Jeremy Zhang, helping propel Illinois to a first-round tournament win.
Mroz played a key role in the postseason, earning a three-set singles win against Oregon in the Big Ten Tournament and helping Illinois secure the doubles point against both Oregon and No. 6 Ohio State (28-4, 13-0).
Zhang also took on a new role this season as a regular in the doubles lineup. Zhang had zero dual doubles appearances as a freshman, but he posted an impressive 8-3 record in duals this spring.
Negative: Late-season struggles
Coming into April, the Illini were rolling. They sat at 12-6, and ranked No. 23 in the country. Illinois had won three straight matches and looked poised for a strong finish. However, April proved to be a disaster.
Illinois closed the year going 3-6, including four regular-season losses in April. The trouble began with a tough road trip to Ann Arbor, where the Illini suffered back-to-back 4-0 shutouts against Michigan and Michigan State (17-10, 10-3). A home match against Ohio State offered a chance to bounce back, but it resulted in a 4-1 loss.
The team fell out of the Big Ten Tournament in round two, seeing their season end with a 4-0 shutout against Oklahoma (17-11) at the start of the NCAA tournament.
Looking ahead
Now, the focus shifts to what comes next, both in terms of development and reinforcements.
With a strong foundation of leadership and a fresh wave of talent on the way, Illinois will aim to turn this season’s lessons into next season’s momentum.
