Florida Gators
Kentucky
Women's tennis blanks Kentucky 4-0
Thursday, March 12, 2026 | Women's Tennis
Doubles
Florida had gone three straight matches without snagging the doubles point, but Thursday proved to be a different story. Lucie Pawlak and India Houghton defeated Marina Fuduric and Ellie Myers 6-2 at number three doubles for their first win as a tandem since February 26 (0-1 with two matches unfinished). It was the duo's most convincing result of the year, and their first SEC win as a team.
Xinyi Nong and Nikola Daubnerova (No. 19 in the nation) secured the doubles point for the Gators with a 6-3 win over over Zoe Hammond and Julia Zhu. That snapped a three-match losing skid for the 19th-ranked team in the nation, although their previous three losses all came against nationally-ranked competition.
Brooke Black and Valery Gynina were trailing Asuncion Jadue and Reese Sager 6-5 when Nong and Daubnerova won their match.
Singles
Daubnerova (No. 72) was a late addition to the singles lineup, but she didn't waste any time in putting Florida up 2-0 as she dispensed with Donna Le Roux 6-0, 6-2 at number six. It was the sixth straight singles win for the sophomore who is now 12-4 on the season, and a perfect 6-0 in dual matches. Her first set shutout was the fourth clean set she has posted in singles this season.
Pawlak (No. 88) was the next member of the Gators to finish, besting Jadue 6-1, 6-3 in the five slot. It was the fourth win in the last five singles matches for the freshman who is now 14-6 on the year.
Florida needed just one more singles victory to close out the match, and Gabia Paskauskas delivered at number three. The sophomore topped Sager 6-3, 6-4 to improve to 15-6 this season and give the Gators the win.
Three matches remained unfinished with Houghton (No. 103) headed to a third set at the top spot tied 6-1, 2-6 against Hammond (No. 116), Gynina (No. 76) trailing Zhu (No. 112) at number two 6-3, 5-3, and Black battling to finish off Elena Molla 6-0, 5-5 at number four singles.
FROM THE GATORS' MOUTHS
- Associate Head Coach Axel Damiens on winning the doubles point against Kentucky after failing to do so in the team's three previous matches…
We were playing some really good doubles early in the year, and we tried to overdo it a little bit recently. We tried to play almost too well, and kind of forgot some of the fundamentals, and some of our values and some of the stuff that we believe in. So we kind of went back to simple ... just having fun, just playing with each other. A lot of conversation of just being on the same page with your partner, and I think it's starting to click, and they just executed better. We've played some average doubles. I don't think we've played bad doubles last week. We're getting the balls we want. We're just not executing, and today, being at home, we just executed a little better, and took care of business.
- Associate Head Coach Axel Damiens on Nikola Daubnerova picking up her sixth straight singles win as a late add at number six singles ...
We have good problems in that we're deep. Niki is the 72nd best player in the country, and she's listed at seven with us. We have five ranked players that are playing, so we have some of the best players in the country, and it is just a matter of who is earning it the most at practice and who is getting after it. [Niki] stepped up at Ole Miss in a big way for us, and she was first off the court again today, so she is obviously doing a good job, and she's staying ready for the opportunities and when the opportunity is there, she takes it.
- Nikola Daubnerova on winning her last six consecutive singles matches ...
It all starts in practice. That's a big focus that we put on with [Head Coach] Per [Nilsson] and [Associated Head Coach] Axel [Damiens]. You should practice how you should be in the matches and that's really important whether it is mental, physical or tactical stuff. I think that I've simplified my game a little bit which is helping me to focus on less things, but more clearly and that helps me be not so overwhelmed all over the place and keeping things simple. A lot of it is mental too. I just try to come out as sharp as I can, very focused on my match, but also obviously trying to help my teammates around me too.
- Nikola Daubnerova on getting the late call to play at number six singles, and staying ready when you aren't in the lineup every day ...
The notice [that you are going to play singles] is always after doubles (laughs). But that's what one of our advantages is too. We just have really good players all along the lineup, and we all really support each other. Whoever's not playing you can always feel and hear their presence. When you're on a great team, that's what you have to deal with. You've got to kind of earn the spot in playing. Staying sharp ... we all practice the same no matter what. Knowing too long in advance that you're not going to play, but then someone gets injured, it just keeps you ready. You have to work hard every single day, and every single practice, and then it shows in the matches.
| Florida (#23) | 9-3, 4-2 |
| Kentucky | 8-7, 0-6 |
FINAL RESULTS
Singles
| 1 | #103 | India Houghton (UF) | unf. | #116 | Zoe Hammon (UK) | 6-1, 2-6 |
| 2 | #76 | Valery Gynina (UF) | unf. | #112 | Julia Zhu (UK) | 3-6, 3-5 |
| 3 | #26 | Gabia Paskauskas (UF) | def. | Reese Sager (UK) | 6-3, 6-4 | |
| 4 | Brooke Black (UF) | unf. | Elena Molla (UK) | 6-0, 5-5 | ||
| 5 | #88 | Lucie Pawlak (UF) | def. | Asuncion Jadue (UK) | 6-1, 6-3 | |
| 6 | #72 | Nikola Daubnerova (UF) | def. | Donna Le Roux (UK) | 6-0, 6-2 | |
| Order of Finish 6, 5, 3 | ||||||
Doubles
| 1 | #19 | Xinyi Nong / Daubnerova (UF) | def. | Hammond / Zhu (UK) | 6-3 | |
| 2 | Gynina / Black (UF) | unf. | Jadue / Sager (UK) | 5-6 | ||
| 3 | Houghton / Pawlak (UF) | def. | Elena Molla / Donna Le Roux (UK) | 6-2 | ||
| Order of Finish 3, 1 | ||||||
UP NEXT
The Gators take on No. 11 Tennessee on Saturday, March 14 beginning at 11:30 a.m. EDT.
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Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
3,1
#1 Singles Match
#2 Singles Match
#3 Singles Match
#4 Singles Match
#5 Singles Match
#6 Singles Match
Order of Finish:
6,5,3
Players Mentioned
