MONROE - Freeport 2010 graduates Ben Main and Rustam Saini captured the 40th annual Class A men's doubles championship Sunday at Rec Park.
Main and Saini defeated Al Schroeder and Scott Schleis 6-3, 6-3. Main, a sophomore who plays tennis at the University of Illinois-Springfield, is a three-time IHSA state qualifier. He qualified for the state singles tournament as a sophomore at Freeport and was a two-time No. 1 doubles state qualifier.
"Mr. Bartholf puts on a great tournament," Main said. "I couldn't resist coming up here. Rasham and I are fiends and we enjoy good competition. There are a lot of good tennis players in Monroe."
Main enjoyed playing on the courts at Rec Park and didn't mind the heat.
"I just wanted to come up here and hit a few balls and have fun," he said. "You can't beat the weather. It's a little hot, but it's beautiful. The resurfaced tennis courts played magnificently."
Saini is also a sophomore who plays tennis at North Central College in Naperville, Ill. In high school at Freeport, Saini's twin brother, Ragu Saini, played doubles with Main.
"It was worth it," Saini said of playing in the city doubles tournament in the sweltering heat. "We don't usually play doubles together. We knew it was going to be a challenge. We knew we may have a chance to win it."
Main and Saini defeated Monroe's Carson Root and Patrick Gellings 6-4, 6-0 in the second round. In the semifinals, Main and Saini defeated last year's champions Joe Soddy and Dan Bartholf 6-2, 6-3. Soddy and Bartholf finished third defeating Kevin Monahan and Steve Flanagan 6-3, 7-6 (2).
Schroeder and Schleis won the title in 2009, but couldn't win enough long volleys to come back Sunday. Schroeder has played in the doubles championship match three straight years. In 2009, he and Schleis won the title.
Schroeder said the difference in the match is that Main and Saini were able to make some clutch shots to win volleys.
"I will be back next year," Schroeder said.
Jim Bartholf, the city doubles tournament director for the Monroe Park and Rec Department, said the 10-team Class A men's bracket was one of the best ever and offered a lot of parity.
"When you play doubles, experience is a major factor," Bartholf said. "The kids can't just come out and bang it around. That just doesn't happen."
Christian Noriega teamed with his younger brother, Kevin Noriega, to win the class B men's championship 6-4, 6-4 over Jess Hager and Kevin Kohlstedt.
"Having a chance to play with my little brother was great because he's a good tennis player," Christian said. "Winning a tournament for once felt fulfilling."
Kevin, who will be a freshman at Monroe High School in the fall, was excited about the finish.
"We are both good singles players," Kevin said. "We knew we would both be good doubles partners. We thought we had a good chance to win it."
Monroe's Kristin McArdle and Ellie Shuda defeated Emily Grossen and Kelsey Erickson 6-7 (2), 6-4, 6-3 to win the women's open title.
"Kelsey is one of the best doubles players we have had all-time," Bartholf said. "I would rank her in the top four of girls doubles players."
McArdle and Shuda are used to playing in doubles tournaments together. The pair defeated Lily Priewe and Chelsea Miller in the second round 6-0, 6-1.
"They have been playing together for a long time," Bartholf said. "They play well together. They are neighbors and can get things done."
Main and Saini defeated Al Schroeder and Scott Schleis 6-3, 6-3. Main, a sophomore who plays tennis at the University of Illinois-Springfield, is a three-time IHSA state qualifier. He qualified for the state singles tournament as a sophomore at Freeport and was a two-time No. 1 doubles state qualifier.
"Mr. Bartholf puts on a great tournament," Main said. "I couldn't resist coming up here. Rasham and I are fiends and we enjoy good competition. There are a lot of good tennis players in Monroe."
Main enjoyed playing on the courts at Rec Park and didn't mind the heat.
"I just wanted to come up here and hit a few balls and have fun," he said. "You can't beat the weather. It's a little hot, but it's beautiful. The resurfaced tennis courts played magnificently."
Saini is also a sophomore who plays tennis at North Central College in Naperville, Ill. In high school at Freeport, Saini's twin brother, Ragu Saini, played doubles with Main.
"It was worth it," Saini said of playing in the city doubles tournament in the sweltering heat. "We don't usually play doubles together. We knew it was going to be a challenge. We knew we may have a chance to win it."
Main and Saini defeated Monroe's Carson Root and Patrick Gellings 6-4, 6-0 in the second round. In the semifinals, Main and Saini defeated last year's champions Joe Soddy and Dan Bartholf 6-2, 6-3. Soddy and Bartholf finished third defeating Kevin Monahan and Steve Flanagan 6-3, 7-6 (2).
Schroeder and Schleis won the title in 2009, but couldn't win enough long volleys to come back Sunday. Schroeder has played in the doubles championship match three straight years. In 2009, he and Schleis won the title.
Schroeder said the difference in the match is that Main and Saini were able to make some clutch shots to win volleys.
"I will be back next year," Schroeder said.
Jim Bartholf, the city doubles tournament director for the Monroe Park and Rec Department, said the 10-team Class A men's bracket was one of the best ever and offered a lot of parity.
"When you play doubles, experience is a major factor," Bartholf said. "The kids can't just come out and bang it around. That just doesn't happen."
Christian Noriega teamed with his younger brother, Kevin Noriega, to win the class B men's championship 6-4, 6-4 over Jess Hager and Kevin Kohlstedt.
"Having a chance to play with my little brother was great because he's a good tennis player," Christian said. "Winning a tournament for once felt fulfilling."
Kevin, who will be a freshman at Monroe High School in the fall, was excited about the finish.
"We are both good singles players," Kevin said. "We knew we would both be good doubles partners. We thought we had a good chance to win it."
Monroe's Kristin McArdle and Ellie Shuda defeated Emily Grossen and Kelsey Erickson 6-7 (2), 6-4, 6-3 to win the women's open title.
"Kelsey is one of the best doubles players we have had all-time," Bartholf said. "I would rank her in the top four of girls doubles players."
McArdle and Shuda are used to playing in doubles tournaments together. The pair defeated Lily Priewe and Chelsea Miller in the second round 6-0, 6-1.
"They have been playing together for a long time," Bartholf said. "They play well together. They are neighbors and can get things done."
