Sept. 16, 2010

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Six members of the South Carolina women’s tennis team headed to Milwaukee on Thursday to participate in the Milwaukee Tennis Classic over Sept. 17-19 at Town Club. The Town Club features courts with a clay surface, which is unique to collegiate tournaments.

Four women’s and four men’s teams will compete in a round-robin series of singles and doubles. Each round will consist of at least three doubles and six singles matchups. A point system will be used to determine champions in singles and doubles action and a runner-up in each category will also be recognized.

Members of head coach Arlo Elkins’ squad playing in the event include Miljana Jocic, Anya Morgina, Dominika Kanakova, Katerina Popova, Madeleine Saari-Byström and Dijana Stojic.

Morgina, ranked 70th in the ITA’s preseason rankings, opened the season with a 3-0 record in winning her flight at the SEC Fall Coaches Classic last weekend in Auburn, Ala. Morgina also teamed with Kanakova to win her respective doubles flight.

Kanakova posted a 1-2 record in singles at the SEC Coaches Classic, winning her first match and then losing the next two in three sets. In each match, she won the first set but was unable to grab the second or third.

Jocic had a 1-1 tourney in Auburn after her final consolation match was not played because of the team’s travel schedule. She and Madeleine Saari-Byström finished in third place in doubles in their flight with a 2-1 record. Saari-Byström also had a 2-1 record in singles and won the consolation draw of her flight.

Stojic enters the Milwaukee Tennis Classic ranked No. 58 in the nation, a career high. Stojic posted a 22-15 record last season and earned second-team All-SEC honors while leading the team in dual match victories with an 18-6 slate.

Popova, a freshman from Russia, will be playing in her first collegiate tournament this fall. Earlier this month, Popova played in the 32-person qualifying draw for the US Junior Open.