No. 23 Kentucky Falls to No. 25 Illinois
NEW YORK, N.Y. – No. 23 Kentucky (3-2, 0-0 SEC) fell for the second straight day, losing 4-2 in the ITA Kickoff Weekend Consolation match against No. 25 Illinois (1-2, 0-0 B1G).
Kentucky earned the doubles point, breezing through the opening session. Nicolas Arseneault and Jaden Weekes were the first Wildcat pair to finish, winning all six games in their match on court No. 2. Martin Breysach and Antoine Ghibaudo were not far behind, winning 6-1 on court No. 1 to grab the opening point. Mikael Arseneault and Eli Stephenson were leading by a break at court No. 3 when play was abandoned.
The two teams split the six opening sets, but it was Illinois who tallied the first point in singles as Breysach dropped a 6-1, 6-0 contest on court No. 6 to Hayden Jones.
No. 19 Stephenson continued his red hot start to the season, claiming his eighth ranked win of 2025-26. The junior from Louisville toppled No. 87 Adam Jilly in a 6-4, 6-1 match to improve to 15-3 on the year and 4-0 in the dual season.
The Fighting Illini tied the match at the No. 4 position, as Will Mroz defeated Weekes in a 6-4, 6-4 decision. Illinois claimed their first lead of the match at the top court, as No. 10 Kenta Miysohi defeated Antoine Ghibaudo, 6-3, 7-6 (6). The Wildcat came back from a break deficit twice in the second set, and even had a pair of set points in the tiebreaker, but the final four points of the match went the way to Miyoshi to seal it in straight sets.
Illinois clinched the match at No. 2 singles in a battle of two players in the top five of the ITA Newcomer Rankings. Gabriel Debru handed Nicolas Arseneault his first loss of the dual season in comeback fashion, 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-1. Arseneault held two match points at 6-5 in the second set but was unable to put away the match, as Debru seized momentum and cruised through the final frame.
The final match at No. 5 singles was left unfinished, with Mikael Arseneault leading in the final set, 7-6 (5), 3-6, 4-3.
Kentucky will return to Lexington for a season-long eight match homestand beginning on Friday, January 30 against Louisville. The match from the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Complex will begin at 5 p.m. ET and admission is free to all fans.
For the latest on UK Men’s Tennis, follow the Wildcats on X and Instagram at @UKMensTennis.
No. 23 Kentucky vs. No. 25 Illinois
Doubles Results
- Breysach/Ghibaudo (UK) def. Miyoshi/Jilly (ILL) 6-1
- N. Arseneault/Weekes (UK) def. Colleu/Debru (ILL) 6-0
- M. Arseneault/Stephenson (UK) vs. Mroz/Bowers (ILL) 4-2 (uf)
Order of finish: 2, 1
Singles Results
- No. 10 Kenta Miyoshi (ILL) def. Antoine Ghibaudo (UK) 6-3, 7-6 (6)
- Gabriel Debru (ILL) def. Nicolas Arseneault (UK) 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-1
- No. 19 Eli Stephenson (UK) def. No. 87 Adam Jilly (ILL) 6-4, 6-1
- Will Mroz (ILL) def. Jaden Weekes (UK) 6-4, 6-4
- Mikael Arseneault (UK) vs. Sasha Colleu (ILL) 7-6 (5), 3-6, 4-3 (uf)
- Hayden Jones (ILL) def. Martin Breysach (UK) 6-1, 6-0
Order of finish: 6, 3, 4, 1, 2
