The Flames' men's tennis squad will return to the courts for their final tuneups before Horizon League play, facing off with a pair of city rivals this weekend.

UIC will play DePaul Saturday and Chicago State Sunday.  Having had more than two full weeks off since their last match, Hans Neufeld wants to see his team attack the opportunity.  "Our freshmen are getting better every day in practice.  We've been able to recover from some minor bumps and bruises.  In Horizon League play this year, we will play each team on back-to-back days.  This weekend is set up to get the guys ready for that schedule."

The match against the Blue Demons will be the second of the season.  DePaul won the first encounter in February.  The Flames will face Chicago State for the fifth time in the last six seasons.  Both matches are scheduled to take place at the Flames Outdoor Tennis Courts.

Flames to Watch

• Anthony Nguyen and Gustavo Schwebel were named Horizon League Doubles Team of the Week following UIC's last outing against Cardinal Stritch.  They won their set 6-4 to clinch the doubles point for UIC.
• Pelle Strandberg and Artem Iermolov, playing together for the first time, also won in doubles against Cardinal Stritch.
• Strandberg had a dominating 6-2, 6-0 win at #1 singles, and Nguyen was just as impressive in his 6-1, 6-1 win at #2 against the Wolves.

Scouting the Opposition

• DePaul enters play with a 7-2 record.  Wins over Creighton, Illinois State, Northern Illinois, and Chicago State highlight their schedule.
• Vito Tonejc has a 7-1 overall singles record, including a 5-1 mark at #1.  Fran Tonejc is 6-2, with wins scattered among three flights, and Tripp Tuff is 7-2.
• Chris Casati and Boris Spanjaard are 6-1 on the doubles courts.
• Chicago State will put their 2-8 record on the line at Butler Friday before returning to Chicago.
• Jakov Suler has a team high six singles wins, all in the #1 flight.
• Javier Sanchez Pradillo has five wins at #3.
• The Cougars edged UIC, 4-3, in the teams' last meeting in January 2019.  That snapped a four-match winning streak for the Flames since the rivalry was renewed in 2013.