Carnicella, Hamner Advance to ITA All-Americans Main Draw
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina women’s tennis senior Sarah Hamner and junior transfer Kaitlyn Carnicella moved into the ITA All-American Championships doubles main draw today with a pair of ranked wins in qualifying rounds this week. Hamner will also compete in the event’s singles main draw, which begins tomorrow.
The Gamecocks’ top duo, ranked 27th in the nation, Hamner and Carnicella dispatched Carolina Gomez Alonso and Olga Bienzobas of Arkansas on Monday in the qualifying opening round. South Carolina’s pair sent the No. 71 team in the nation home with a 6-0, 7-5 victory.
On Tuesday, Hamner and Carnicella had to battle for their spot in the main draw, facing No. 44 Parker Fry and Maia Sung of Southern Cal. After dropping the first set, they rallied to claim the second and force a third-set super tiebreak to decide the match. That tiebreak went down to the wire as well with Hamner/Carnicella emerging with a 4-6, 6-2, 10-8 victory.
This marks the third-consecutive season that Hamner and the Gamecocks have played in the main draw of both singles and doubles at the ITA All-American Championships. In singles, Hamner, ranked No. 10 in the nation, will take on No. 29 Emily De Oliveira of Florida, in the opening round in a bid to repeat her 2021 title run at the event.
Complete draws, schedules and results for the ITA All-American Championships will be posted on the ITA Tournament Page. Cracked Racquets will stream Main Draw matches on the ITA YouTube channel, and matches will also stream on PlaySight.
Under the new format for NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships, players and doubles teams in the ITA All-American Championships can qualify right into the NCAA Championships bracket. From singles, eight main draw quarterfinalists and two feed-in consolation finalists will punch their ticket directly into the NCAA Singles Championships. The four main draw doubles semifinalists will join them in the NCAA Doubles Championships.
Continue to check GamecocksOnline.com and the team’s social media accounts (@GamecockWTennis) for the most up-to-date information on the women’s tennis season.
South Carolina Results – Qualifying Rounds
Doubles Round of 32 (Sept. 23)
(27) Sarah Hamner/Kaitlyn Carnicella (SC) def. (71) Carolina Gomez Alonso/Olga Bienzobas (ARK) 6-0, 7-5
Doubles Round of 16 (Sept. 24)
(27) Sarah Hamner/Kaitlyn Carnicella (SC) def. (44) Parker Fry/Maia Sung (SoCal) 4-6, 6-2, 10-8
