USTA Pro Circuit Men’s Futures

U of I Alum and Partner Win Doubles Championship Friday; Singles Semifinals Play Saturday at 9 a.m.

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GODFREY – Illini alum Ryan Rowe was all smiles Friday after he and Marcelo Arevalo won the doubles championship title in the 15th Annual Lewis and Clark Community College United States Tennis Association (USTA) Men’s Pro Circuit Futures tournament.

Rowe, 26, of Moline, and Arevalo, 21, of El Salvador, defeated the No. 1 team of Sebastien Boltz, 19, of France, and Luca Margaroli, 20, of Switzerland, 6-4, 6-4.

Rowe, a former stand-out University of Illinois tennis player, and Arevalo, a former top player for the University of Tulsa, said winning the doubles championship was not only a confidence booster, but fun too.

American Ryan Rowe (left) and Marcelo Arevalo,El Salvador, won the doubles championship in Lewis and Clark Community College's 15th Annual USTA Men's Pro Circuit Futures tournament on Friday, July 27 at the Andy Simpson Tennis Complex at the college. Photo by Andrew Hargis for Lewis
and Clark Community College.
From left: Luca Margaroli, of Switzerland, and Sebastien Boltz, of France, shake hands Ryan Rowe, of Moline, Ill., and Marcelo Arevalo, of El Salvador. Row and Arevalo won the with the 2012 Doubles Championship of the15th Annual Lewis and Clark Community College Men's USTA Pro Circuit Futures Tennis Tournament. Photo by S. Paige Allen, Lewis and Clark
Community College photographer.

“We played well together today and enjoyed it. It felt so good to win,” said Rowe, who had family members and fans in the audience.

Rowe has had a busy week in the Lewis and Clark $10K tourney. He played four qualifying matches and made it to round two of the singles main draw—losing to fellow Illini Dennis Nevolo who is still in the running for the singles title.

“I’ve really enjoyed playing in this tournament and I want to thank everyone here for their support,” Rowe told the audience after he and Arevalo received their first-place medals. “The people here are very supportive and it has been a wonderful experience.”

The singles semifinals continue Saturday at the Andy Simpson Tennis Complex at Lewis and Clark.

Of the four men remaining in the running for the singles title, only one is a seeded player.

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No. 2 Cesar Ramirez, 22, of Mexico, has an ATP ranking of 432 and defeated Nick Chappell, 19, of Indianapolis 6-3, 0-6, 6-3 on Friday.

“This tournament has been good for me,” said Ramirez, who has been off the circuit with an injury the last three months.

“This is my first stop returning to the circuit and I am hopeful I will make through the next round.”

Ramirez will play Alex Blumenberg, of Brazil, who defeated American Ryan Thatcher in a long match with two tie-breaks Friday 4-6, 7-6(4), 7-6 (2) Friday.

Americans Dennis Nevolo and Jason Jung will play each other for their chance at the final.

Nevolo defeated Martins Podzus, of Latvia, 6-2, 6-4 to move up, and Jung defeated 14-year-old Stefan Kozlov 6-2, 7-6 (1).

Nevolo, who just finished his Illini tennis career, is one of only 10 men named to this summer’s USTA Men’s Collegiate Team.

Jung, a former University of Michigan player, was a two-time All-Big Ten (2010 and 2011) and two-time NCAA Individual Championship qualifier.

Both singles semifinals begin Saturday at 9 a.m. The college will also be hosting at children’s tennis carnival at 9 a.m. in Riverbend Arena. Both events are free and open to the public.

For more information, call (618) 468-6252. For the latest in tournament news and to view/download photos visit the tournament website at www.lc.edu/USTA.

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