May 23, 2013

URBANA, Ill. — Senior Jaklin Alawi and junior Dominika Kanakova from the South Carolina women’s tennis team lost in the opening round of the 32-team NCAA Doubles Championship on Thursday in Urbana, Ill., at the Khan Outdoor Tennis Complex at the Atkins Tennis Center.

The No. 29-ranked duo in the nation fell to No. 22 Melissa Kopinski and Rachael White of Illinois in the first round by a score of 6-0, 7-6 (7-5). Alawi and Kanakova finished the season with a 24-11 record together, making them the winningest Carolina duo in a single season since the 2001-02 campaign. They posted a 15-5 record together at No. 1 doubles and went 6-3 at the spot in SEC matches. Their top victory of the season came against Alexa Guarachi and Mary Anne Macfarlane of Alabama in March, a team ranked No. 6 at the time and now rated seventh. They also defeated Pleun Burgmans and Plamena Kurteva of Auburn, a team currently ranked 10th.

Final rankings for the 2012-13 season will be released May 28 (team) and June 5 (singles/doubles).