URBANA — Zeke Clark’s biggest strength has, at times this season, also worked against him. Illinois men’s tennis coach Brad Dancer calls Clark the “heart and soul” of the team. An energy guy with a Russell Westbrook-ian motor.
Clark is as team-first as an athlete playing an individual sport could be. Dancer values that. Clark does, too.
It’s how he’s always approached the game — from the time he was establishing himself as the No. 3 national recruit in the 2016 class to when he arrived in Champaign.
“I was always the guy who tried to bring as much positive energy as I can,” Clark said.