Florida’s Xinyi Nong waves alongside her duo partner Nikola Daubnerova before their doubles match against the University of Oklahoma at the Alfred A. Ring Tennis Complex last month. [Delia Rose Sauer/WRUF]

Gators Women’s Tennis Shuts Out Kentucky

Florida Gators women’s tennis grabbed another conference win against the Kentucky Wildcats at home Thursday. The Gators shut out the Wildcats 4-0 to improve their all-time record against their league rival to 25-5.

“Every win is important in this conference,” Gators associate head coach Axel Damiens said. “We took care of business today.”

The start of the match was delayed by an hour to dry the courts after the rain earlier in the day.

The Gators (9-3, 4-2 SEC) put on a clinic in doubles once the match started. Their Court 3 pair of Lucie Pawlak-India Houghton made quick work of the Kentucky (8-7, 0-6) opponents in a 6-2 win. Their Court 1 duo of Nikola Daubnerova-Xinyi Nong followed with a 6-3 win to grab the Gators’ the first point of the day.

Florida kept up the momentum in singles by winning the first set on five out of the six courts.

Daubnerova and Brooke Black swept their first sets. Houghton lost the first game of her first set before winning the next six to take it. Pawlak won her first set by the same score.

Gabia Paskauskas took a little longer, but still pulled out a 6-3 victory. The lone Gator to lose her first set was Valery Gynina, who fell 6-3 to Julia Zhu, Kentucky’s highest-ranked singles player.

Daubnerova was the first to finish her match. After her opponent, Donna Le Roux grabbed her first game of the match in the first game of the second set, Daubnerova won six of the last seven to take the set.

“I just try to come out as sharp as I can,” Daubnerova said. “You have to take care of business on your court and that’s the best way you can help the team.”

Pawlak finished next, taking a 6-3 victory in her second set against Asuncion Jadue to bring the Gators just one point from victory.

Paskauskas jumped out to an early 5-3 lead and got to match point in her ninth game. At the same time, Zhu had match point on Gynina with a chance to break up Florida’s shutout.

While Paskauskas took a couple tries to get that last point, Gynina came back and took her game to keep the shut out intact, earning a big reaction from the crowd. Paskauskas scored shortly afterward to complete Florida’s 4-0 shutout.

The Gators’ next match is at 11:30 a.m. Saturday against No. 11 Tennessee (8-3, 4-2) at home.

Category: Gator Sports, Gators Tennis, Tennis