Illinois and Ohio State Secure Weekly Tennis Awards
Zhang (ILL) and Petak (OSU) earn first honors of the season
ROSEMONT, Ill. – Illinois senior Jeremy Zhang has been named Player of the Week and Denis Petak of Ohio State tabbed Freshman of the Week by the Big Ten Conference for matches played September 18-22, the opening week of the 2026-27 men’s tennis season.
Player of the Week
Jeremy Zhang, Illinois
Sr. – Sydney, Australia
- Posted a 5-0 singles record at the ITA All-American Championships in Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Advanced through prequalifying and qualifying flights to reach the main draw, which begins play today
- Defeated ranked opponents in No. 95 Raphael Vaksmann of Mississippi State (7-5, 3-6, 6-3) and No. 117 Matisse Farzam of Clemson (6-0, 6-1) in the qualifying round
- The Big Ten Distinguished Scholar earns his first Big Ten weekly award
- Last Player of the Week recipient for Illinois: Zach Viiala (March 11, 2026)
Freshman of the Week
Denis Petak, Ohio State
Fr. – Brno, Czech Republic
- Lone Big Ten rookie competing in the singles main draw of the ITA All-American Championships
- Making his collegiate debut, Petak went 2-0 in singles qualifying, knocking off opponents from Texas A&M and TCU in straight sets
- Joined forces with Ilija Palavestra to post a 7-5, 6-2 doubles win over No. 65 Jan Klimas and Nikola Djosic of Arizona State; finished the week with a 3-1 overall record
- Rated 11th in the ITA Newcomer Rankings
- First Buckeye to receive Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors since Brandon Carpico (April 2, 2025)
2026-27 Big Ten Men’s Tennis Weekly Awards
Sept. 23
P: Jeremy Zhang, Sr., ILL
F: Denis Petak, Fr., OSU