URBANA, Ill. – The greatest season in the history of the DePaul men’s tennis program came to a close Friday at the Khan Outdoor Tennis Complex.

Coach Matt Brothers and his nitty-gritty band of tennis players with an indomitable spirit gave it their best shot in a 4-1 setback to No. 16 seed Illinois in the Blue Demons’ all-time NCAA Championship debut.

A tennis program that dates back more than 50 years had never come this far in a season, winning its first BIG EAST Championship title on April 26 to earn the conference’s automatic NCAA berth.

Not for one moment did DePaul back down from an imposing challenge as Illinois extended its winning streak to 18 and improved to 22-2 on the season. The Illini came into Friday ranked No. 17 in the Oracle/ITA Top 50 and No. 6 in the Tennis Channel/USTA Top 25.

The Blue Demons walked off the court Friday evening disappointed in the outcome but knowing in their heart of hearts they had emptied the tank in the face of improbable odds.

DePaul scored first in hopes of generating some early momentum that would carry over into the singles round. Vito Tonejc and Luuk Wassenaar had the privilege of winning the school’s very first NCAA tournament doubles match with a 6-3 victory over Siphosothando Montsi and Noe Khlif.

Soon after, Fran Tonejc followed his younger brother’s lead teaming with Tripp Tuff for a doubles-clinching 6-4 triumph over Aleks Kovacevic and Hunter Heck.

It was about then that the Illini realized they were in for a battle, and one of the nation’s best responded.

The regional host evened the score at 1-1 with Heck’s 6-1, 6-1 decision over Fran Tonejc at No. 5 singles. Illinois went ahead with Montsi’s 6-1, 6-3 win over Christopher Casati at No. 2.

Nationally ranked Zeke Clark upped the lead to 3-1 after a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Tamas Zador at No. 4 singles.

Wassenaar did his best to keep the season alive but came up short in a 7-5, 6-2 loss to Khlif at No. 6. Illinois will face No. 34 Notre Dame in Saturday’s NCAA Second Round after the Fighting Irish eliminated No. 41 Western Michigan 4-1.

The quartet of graduate students moving on to the next stage of their lives will take with them precious memories of a 15-7 breakout season that had them competing admirably against five nationally ranked opponents.

They will forever look back with wonder at Wassenaar resolutely staring down his edge-of-the-cliff dire straight and overcoming quadruple match point with four booming, unreturnable serves in his third-set singles triumph that brought his team the BIG EAST title.

They will forever take heart at the wonder of how a close-knit team truly earned the nickname “Band of Brothers” by drawing strength from one another during a truly frightening global pandemic that has claimed the lives of more than 3.2 million people worldwide.

Their 2019-20 season was cut short once government-mandated stay-at-home orders were issued in a drastic attempt to curb the infection and death rates. DePaul’s campus was shut down as most of the tennis players returned to their European homes to learn remotely.

Despite COVID-19 putting the kibosh on their 2020-21 fall tournament season, these Blue Demons banded together upon their return to campus and vowed to make this a season unlike any other—inspired by graduate students Chris Casati, Boris Spanjaard, Fran Tonejc and Tamas Zador who collectively decided to stay in school and give it one last shot.

For those four, their teammates Lars Peder Minsaas, Phasu Sirinit, BIG EAST Player of the Year Vito Tonejc, Tripp Tuff, BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year Brothers and Chema Carranza along with trainer Danielle McCormick and team manager Dawid Dabrowski—Wassenaar collapsing to the court in equal parts ecstasy and exhaustion in Cayce, S.C. will forever remain their one shining moment.

Illinois 4, DePaul 1
Urbana, Ill.
May 7, 2021
Singles
1. Aleks Kovacevic (ILL) vs. Vito Tonejc (DPU) 6-3, 4-3, unfinished
2. Siphosothando Montsi (ILL) def. Christopher Casati (DPU) 6-1, 6-3
3. Alex Brown (ILL) vs. Boris Spanjaard (DPU) 7-6 (7-5), 3-4, unfinished
4. Zeke Clark (ILL) def. Tamas Zador (DPU) 6-2, 6-3
5. Hunter Heck (ILL) def. Fran Tonejc (DPU) 6-1, 6-1
6. Noe Khlif (ILL) def. Luuk Wassenaar (DPU) 7-5, 6-2

Doubles
1. Alex Brown/Zeke Clark (ILL) vs. Christopher Casati/Boris Spanjaard (DPU) 5-5, unfinished
2. Vito Tonejc/Luuk Wassenaar (DPU) def. Siphosothando Montsi/Noe Khlif (ILL) 6-3
3. Fran Tonejc/Tripp Tuff (DPU) def. Hunter Heck/Aleks Kovacevic (ILL) 6-4