University of Illinois
ITA Midwest Regional Championship
October 20, 2026 | Men's Tennis
RECAP
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Fighting Illini saw seven student-athletes combine for 18 total main draw victories at the ITA Midwest Regional Championship from Oct. 16-20 in Columbus, Ohio.
David Bakonyi and Adam Jilly progressed to the doubles main draw final, while Jilly advanced to the singles main draw semifinals.
Seven Illini took part in the singles main draw. Jeremy Zhang earned three straight-set victories en route to the quarterfinals, while Jon Gamble tallied back-to-back two-set triumphs to move into the third round. Jilly's run to the semifinals featured wins over student-athletes from Wisconsin, Michigan, Northwestern, and Notre Dame.
In doubles play, #6-seeded Bakonyi and Jilly teamed up for a run to the doubles final. After the pair received a first-round bye, the Illini duo defeated tandems from Michigan, UIC, and Ohio State, including a 7-6(6), 6-3 decision over top-seeded and #34-ranked Max Dahlin/Evan Burnett from Michigan. The Orange and Blue pair ultimately fell to Notre Dame's Peter Nad/Chase Thompson in Tuesday's final.
Zhang and Colson Wells took down three Big Ten partnerships en route to the semifinals. #12-seeded Zhang/Wells recorded wins over Northwestern, Ohio State, and Michigan, including victories over seeded opponents from the Buckeyes and Wolverines.
RESULTS
Friday, Oct. 16
Singles Qualifying - Second Round
Nicholas Mekhael (Illinois) def. Alexander Haage (DePaul), 6-2, 6-7(4), 6-2
Doubles Main Draw - First Round
Benjamin Azar/Naoto Tomizawa (Michigan) def. [14] Sasha Colleu/Jon Gamble (Illinois), 8-7(5)
Doubles Main Draw - Second Round
[6] Adam Jilly/David Bakonyi (Illinois) def. Pierce Shaya/Arnav Bhandari (Michigan), 8-3
[12] Colson Wells/Jeremy Zhang (Illinois) def. Douglas Yaffa/Greyson Casey (Northwestern), 8-3
Saturday, Oct. 17
Doubles Main Draw - Third Round
[6] Adam Jilly/David Bakonyi (Illinois) def. Victor Dorojan/Mihailo Savic (UIC), 8-6
[12] Colson Wells/Jeremy Zhang (Illinois) def. [4] Alex Okonkwo/Preston Stearns (Ohio State), 8-3
Singles Main Draw - First Round
Sasha Colleu (Illinois) def. Mihai David Haita (Youngstown State), 7-6(6), 7-6(6)
Colson Wells (Illinois) def. Benjamin Azar (Michigan), 6-3, 6-4
Jon Gamble (Illinois) def. [12] Naoto Tomizawa (Michigan), 7-5, 7-6(5)
Alex Suhanitski (Notre Dame) def. Nicholas Mekhael (Illinois), 6-3, 6-3
Adam Jilly (Illinois) def. Jens Holger Nissen (Wisconsin), 6-0, 6-2
[8] Jeremy Zhang (Illinois) def. Evan Burnett (Michigan), 6-2, 6-2
[7] Patrik Meszaros (Wisconsin) def. David Bakonyi (Illinois), 6-4, 6-4
Singles Consolation
Arnav Bhandari (Michigan) def. Nicholas Mekhael (Illinois), 7-6(5), 3-6, 1-0 (10-7)
Doubles Consolation
[14] Sasha Colleu/Jon Gamble (Illinois) def. Alexander Haage/Tobias Leitner (DePaul), 6-2
Sunday, Oct. 18
Doubles Main Draw - Quarterfinals
[6] Adam Jilly/David Bakonyi (Illinois) def. [3] Denis Petak/Matthew Forbes (Ohio State), 8-3
[12] Colson Wells/Jeremy Zhang (Illinois) def. [9] Nicholas Heng/Fredrik Krogh Solheim (Michigan), 8-6
Singles Main Draw - Second Round
[14] Brandon Carpico (Ohio State) def. Sasha Colleu (Illinois), 6-3, 6-4
Jon Gamble (Illinois) def. Anh Hoang La Pham (Western Michigan), 6-1, 6-4
[15] Ferdinand Kloesters (Wisconsin) def. Colson Wells (Illinois), 6-2, 6-2
[8] Jeremy Zhang (Illinois) def. Tomas Zlatohlavek (Wisconsin), 6-1, 7-6(4)
Adam Jilly (Illinois) def. Pierce Shaya (Michigan), 6-2, 7-5
Singles Consolation
Alex Fuchs (Ohio State) def. David Bakonyi (Illinois), 6-4, 6-4
Monday, Oct. 19
Doubles Main Draw - Semifinals
[6] Adam Jilly/David Bakonyi (Illinois) def. [1] #34 Max Dahlin/Evan Burnett (Michigan), 7-6(6), 6-3
[7] Peter Nad/Chase Thompson (Notre Dame) def. [12] Colson Wells/Jeremy Zhang (Illinois), 4-6, 7-5, 1-0 (10-5)
Singles Main Draw - Third Round
[8] Jeremy Zhang (Illinois) def. Poonthong Komolpisut (Toledo), 6-3, 6-1
Adam Jilly (Illinois) def. Greyson Casey (Northwestern), 7-6(9), 7-5
[6] #124 Victor Lilov (Ohio State) def. Jon Gamble (Illinois), 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-2
Singles Main Draw - Quarterfinals
Adam Jilly (Illinois) def. [16] Kyran Magimay (Notre Dame), 6-1, 3-6, 6-3
[3] #12 Preston Stearns (Ohio State) def. [8] Jeremy Zhang (Illinois), 6-7(4), 7-6(5), 7-6(2)
Tuesday, Oct. 20
Singles Main Draw - Semifinals
[6] #124 Victor Lilov (Ohio State) def. Adam Jilly (Illinois), 6-0, 6-2
Doubles Main Draw - Final
[7] Peter Nad/Chase Thompson (Notre Dame) def. [6] Adam Jilly/David Bakonyi (Illinois), 6-7(5), 6-3, 1-0 (10-6)
