Oct. 20, 2012

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Jaklin Alawi from the South Carolina women’s tennis team advanced to the doubles semifinals of the USTA/ITA Carolina Regional on Saturday with Dominika Kanakova in Winston-Salem, N.C. Alawi and Katerina Popova also reached the quarterfinals of the singles draw.

Alawi and Kanakova continued their march through the doubles draw with an 8-4 victory against De Bruycker and Slater of North Carolina. They will face McHale and Lyons, another duo from North Carolina, on Sunday.

Alawi, ranked No. 63, defeated Karolina Chernaya from Campbell in her first singles contest of the day 6-3, 6-1 before pulling off a come-from-behind 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 victory against No. 71 Caroline Price of North Carolina. On Sunday, Alawi will square off with No. 35 Hanna Mar from Duke.

Popova cruised in her first match of the day by upending Wake Forest’s Kasey Gardiner 6-0, 6-2. Popova then pulled off a 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 win versus No. 68 Esther Goldfeld from Duke. A tall order awaits Popova on Sunday when she faces No. 26 Zoe De Bruycker of North Carolina.

Kanakova and Adriana Pereira both took losses in their round of 32 singles matches. Kanakova fell 7-6 (9-7), 6-3 to Romy Koelzer from Clemson, while UNC Greensboro’s Nitooli Wilkins dropped Pereira 7-5, 6-2.

Play continues in the USTA/ITA Carolina Regional on Sunday.

SINGLES MAIN DRAW
Romy Koelzer, CU, def. Dominika Kanakova, USC, 7-6 (9-7), 6-3 (Round of 32)
Katerina Popova, USC, def. Kasey Gardiner, WFU, 6-0, 6-2 (Round of 32)
Katerina Popova, USC, def. #68 Esther Goldfeld, DU, 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 (Round of 16)
#63 Jaklin Alawi, USC, def. Karolina Chernaya, CAMP, 6-3, 6-1 (Round of 32)
#63 Jaklin Alawi, USC, def. #71 Caroline Price, UNC, 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 (Round of 16)
Nitooli Wilkins, UNCG, def. Adriana Pereira, USC, 7-5, 6-2 (Round of 32)

DOUBLES MAIN DRAW
Alawi/Kanakova, USC, def. De Bruycker/Slater, UNC, 8-4 (Quarterfinals)

SINGLES CONSOLATION
Caitlin Cridland, WU, def. Alex Martin, USC, 6-2, 6-3
Ximena Siles Luna, USC, def. Nicole Martinez, NCSU, 2-6, 6-3, 6-0
Ximena Siles Luna, USC, def. Alex Whitehead, UNCG, 6-3, 3-6, (10-4)

LEGEND
CAMP = Campbell
CU = Clemson
DU = Duke
NCSU = North Carolina State
USC = South Carolina
UNC = North Carolina
UNCG = UNC Greensboro
WFU = Wake Forest
WU = Winthrop