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The most successful season in Hawaii men’s tennis ended on Monday.
Hawaii’s Andre Ilagan fell to Alabama’s Filip Planinsek 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-2 in the first round of the NCAA Men’s Singles Championships at the Khan Outdoor Tennis Complex at Champaign, Ill., on Monday.
Ilagan, who celebrated a decorated high school career at Farrington, was the second Rainbow Warrior to even make it as far as the national championships.
Ilagan got off to a hot start with a 3-1 lead in the opening set before Planinsek won five games in a row. He had his moments in the second set as well, leading 40-0 with three set points at 6-5 before his opponent scored four in a row to force a tiebreaker. The Crimson Tide player had two match points in the tiebreaker but Ilagan turned the tables with four in a row, including a forehand winner to tie things up.
Planinsek broke Ilagan twice in the third set to advance to the second round.
Ilagan finishes the season with a slew of honors, including Hawaii’s Bonham Award and being named Big West Player of the Year.
Andreas Weber was the last Rainbow Warrior to play in the the NCAA championships. Weber also lost in the first round, falling 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (8) in 2007.
Ilagan, a junior, expects to make a run at the national tournament next year.