April 1, 2013

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Junior Dominika Kanakova and senior Jaklin Alawi from the 31st-ranked South Carolina women’s tennis team will compete in doubles at the Women’s Tennis Association’s Family Circle Cup in Charleston, S.C., on Tuesday night at the Family Circle Tennis Center as part of USC Night. American Sloane Stephens will compete in her first singles match of the tournament at 7 p.m. followed by USC’s top duo playing as a wild card in the main draw of doubles.

“The Family Circle Cup is a very prestigious WTA Tour event,” South Carolina head coach Kevin Epley said. “I couldn’t be happier that as part of USC Night, our top doubles team will have the opportunity to play against some of the best competition in the world. A big thanks goes to Rob Eppelsheimer and Ray Tanner for making this day possible for USC fans.”

Kanakova and Alawi hold a current national ranking of 50th by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association. The two come into the match-up playing some of their best tennis this season, having won three straight and seven of their last eight. All three of their wins during their current three-match winning streak have come versus duos with national rankings as well. Kanakova and Alawi stand 21-8 on the season and are 12-3 this spring at No. 1 doubles, including a 5-1 mark in the SEC. Their season win total is the most by a Gamecock tandem since the 2001-02 campaign.

Kanakova and Alawi will face Megan Moulton-Levy of the United States and Shuai Zhang of China in the first round on the green clay in Charleston. Moulton-Levy, a six-time All-American at William & Mary from 2004 to 2008 under Epley, is ranked No. 72 in the world in doubles. Epley also coached Moulton-Levy for four years on the pro circuit before taking the job at Carolina last June. Her partner Zhang is currently No. 32 in the world in doubles.