Illinois match follows Purdue loss

The IU men's tennis team's chance of ending a five-game losing skid were foiled by Purdue yesterday. The Hoosiers lost 6-1 in West Lafayette. \nOne IU player did all he could to ensure the Hoosiers would not lose to the No. 48 Boilermakers. That player, senior Ari Widlansky, beat Purdue's Sounak Chatterjee at the No. 6 singles position 6-4, 7-5. He improved to 8-8 this season, including a 1-1 mark in Big Ten contests. \nIn the doubles matches, Widlansky paired with fellow senior Milan Rakvica to win 8-5 at the No. 2 spot. The Hoosiers (6-9, 0-3 Big Ten) surrendered the doubles point, losing the other two doubles matches 8-3 and 8-4. \nIn singles Rakvica failed to climb the career singles wins list. He lost 6-4, 6-1 to Scott Mayer.\nAfter winning the first set, freshman Jakub Praibis was forced to retire because of a hip injury. He dropped to 11-4 this spring. Senior Rahman Smiley sat out again with an unrelenting back injury. \nWith the victory, the Boilermakers (7-7, 2-1) captured one full Titan Series point. IU leads the series 7-5.\nBut yet another explosive team is on the docket for the Hoosiers. The Hoosiers tangle with No. 2 Illinois Sunday at noon. The match will take place in Champaign, Ill., at the Atkins Tennis Center.\nThe Hoosiers have not defeated Illinois since 1997, when they were victorious 4-3. \nThe Fighting Illini (12-4, 2-0) were ranked No. 1 earlier this spring. They have split two matches with Notre Dame this season, while IU lost at home to the Fighting Irish 6-1. \n"We have to play loose against Illinois. Just roll the dice," coach Ken Hydinger said. "We must stay relaxed and calm."\nIU holds a 16-17 record at Illinois, but the Hoosiers are viewing this match as a tremendous opportunity.\n"This is why you play," Smiley said. "There's motivation to win a match, whether we lost to them last time or not. Everybody comes ready to play in the Big Ten." \nThe Hoosiers feature a duo of players who have been solid this spring.\nRakvica sits alone in sixth place on IU's career singles wins list with 87, one win shy of tying David Russell for fifth place. He owns 14 wins this year. Plus, he has 65 career double victories, good for seventh place on the doubles list. \n"It's extra nice. I'll count at the end of the season," he said. "At this point I want to play the best for the team."\nAnother Hoosier making his way up the IU career wins list is freshman Jakub Praibis. He has won 11 singles matches this spring, mostly playing at the No. 2 position. Hydinger said that is quite a feat for only a freshman. \nBut Praibis will need to be on the top of his game this weekend. Despite the enormous underdog role the Hoosiers will be playing Sunday, they are approaching it with a no-fear attitude. \n"They are ranked high. We have nothing to lose," Rakvica said. "It's why you play, to have the chance to beat the best"