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Boys tennis: Naperville Central's Roegner, Saeed advance to final

When the 104th boys state tennis tournament began on Thursday, Blake Roegner and Daanyal Saeed opened play as the 5-8 seed at doubles, just behind teammates Naveen Ramakrishnan and Ammaar Saeed.

In theory the Redhawks looked the part of a team capable of having a long run in the first state appearance for each of them with an eye on making a serious bid at the big prize in Class 2A tennis.

One week after finishing second at their own sectional to their teammates, the dynamic duo of Roegner and Saeed made Redhawks program history when they became the first pairing to advance to a state final.

Roegner and Saeed (26-1) stunned No. 2 seed New Trier (Dylan Drier-Jay Wagh) in three sets, then outlasted Hinsdale Central's Mujtaba Ali-Khan-Rayan Nehme in a near three-hour marathon three-setter to advance into Saturday's final at Hersey High School.

Naperville Central will face No. 1 seed Hinsdale Central (Joseph Daw-Noah Hernandez (20-1).

"As the season began to wind down, I thought Blake and Daanyal were playing their best tennis of the season, so heading into this weekend, I felt they were capable of just about anything, but this is still quite a surprise," said Naperville Central coach Dan Brown.

Brown joked the four hours he spent rolling courts in order to get everyone back to play following an early morning thunderstorm might was rewarded by the Roegner-Saeed success, and if it was, Brown might be ready to do so again should the weather turn sour on the final day of play.

The Redhawks came out on their front foot, recording a 7-5 first-set victory over Hinsdale Central. But the Red Devils erased a 4-2 second-set deficit to force a third set.

"We talked with coach after that second set about putting together a game plan and staying with it, and once we got rolling late in that third set, it was all ours," Saeed said.

"Daanyal really turned it up at the net, poaching and winning just about everything up there, and I would stay back and just get the ball back (deep) to help us grind those last few games out," Roegner said.

The freshman Roegner had nearly 75 percent of the play in the final three games of the match, pounding big-time forehands and forcing the Red Devils to return short, where his opportunistic teammate delivered.

The Redhawks find themselves in fifth place overall with 18 points, trailing tournament-leading Hinsdale Central, which has a big lead over second-place Stevenson and New Trier.

Over in the Class 1A tournament, the news is just as good for Wheaton Academy, which, despite finding itself chasing tourney leading Normal U-High (33 points) and Chicago Northside (26) in the team race, has itself a doubles team in the final today.

Owen Setran and Devin Greeno set a blistering pace from the onset of Day 2, outplaying 5-8 seed Normal U-High (Carter Burk-Brevin Knight) in the quarterfinal, then turning up the heat of the No. 2 seed of Nicholas Biernadski-Justin Penados of Chicago Northside to book their place in the final.

There, the sensational Warriors will play top seed Thomas Moh and Tyler Bowers of Normal U-High.

"We wanted to come in here and at least play to our seed of 3-4, but we went one better, and now we have a chance to be state champions," Setran and Greeno said.

Last year Setran and Graham Shelton collected a sixth-place medal at doubles, while Greeno and Tristan Hilton lost in the consolation quarterfinals.

"Graham and Tristan are perfect doubles partners, just as Devin and I are," Setran said.

"Our personalities are more of the fiery, highly competitive types. Graham and Tristan both are competitive, but they're more chill than the two of us. It works really well for all of us and the team."

Montini junior David Batka was on course to join Wheaton Academy in today's finals until his run in the front draw came to an abrupt end against No. 2 seed Dorath Chamarthi from Normal U-High.

Batka looked sharp in his quarterfinal victory in straight sets over 9-16 Joe Demirjian (Mt. Zion), but the 3-4 seed couldn't stay the course against Chamarthi, who lost in the consolation quarters a year ago.

"David played really well yesterday, and especially this morning in his quarterfinal, but nothing was really working against (Chamarthi) was just the better player in that semifinal," said Broncos coach Don Krystof.

"David is a little disappointed right now, but I know he'll bounce back and be ready to go tomorrow, because that's the type of player and competitor he is."

David, along with his older brother, Thomas, finished third a year ago at doubles to give Montini its first state medal in tennis.

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