Oct. 21, 2012

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Jaklin Alawi and Dominika Kanakova advanced to the doubles championship match Sunday at the USTA/ITA Carolina Regional Championships in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Alawi and Kanakova went toe-to-toe with Tessa Lyons and Lauren McHale from North Carolina in the semifinals. The match was on serve with the Tar Heels serving down 6-5, and Alawi and Kanakova earned the critical break to pull ahead 7-5. Carolina then served out the match to advance to Monday’s final against Ester Goldfeld and Hanna Mar of Duke at noon.

Prior to doubles in the morning singles session, Alawi and Katerina Popova fell in the quarterfinals. Alawi, ranked No. 63, fell 6-2, 6-2 to No. 35 Mar, while Popova took a 6-3, 6-4 loss to No. 26 Zoe De Bruycker from North Carolina.

South Carolina will finish up fall play when it travels to Albuquerque, N.M., to compete in the UNM Fall Invite over Nov. 2-4.

SINGLES MAIN DRAW
#26 Zoe De Bruycker, UNC, def. Katerina Popova, USC, 6-3, 6-4 (Quarterfinals)
#35 Hanna Mar, DU, def. #63 Jaklin Alawi, USC, 6-2, 6-2 (Quarterfinals)

DOUBLES MAIN DRAW
Alawi/Kanakova, USC, def. McHale/Lyons, UNC, 8-5 (Semifinals)

LEGEND
DU = Duke
USC = South Carolina
UNC = North Carolina