Continuing to play at a high level at the top spot in the lineup, the Belmont University men’s tennis tandem of graduate student Marko Ilic and junior Riccardo Trione have cracked the national rankings for the first time. The duo is ranked 76th in the nation in the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) rankings released Tuesday.
Ilic, a native of Zagreb, Croatia, and Trione, a native of Bari, Italy, have won five matches in a row at No. 1 doubles and are 10-1 on the season. The pair’s lone loss on the year came at nationally-ranked Louisville where Ilic and Trione were narrowly edged 7-5 by top-15 ranked Fabien Salle and Natan Rodrigues.
Last week Ilic and Trione earned two convincing wins against Dartmouth and at Samford, dropping only four combined games across the two matches.
The national ranking represents the Bruins’ first doubles ranking since Ilic and senior Hendrik Inno were tabbed No. 8 by the ITA in the fall of 2019 after completing the 2019 spring season ranked 25th.
Belmont returns to match action Thursday as the Bruins begin Horizon League play with crosstown conference foe Tennessee State visiting the Belmont Tennis Complex on campus. First serve is slated for 2 p.m.
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