Tennis Weekly Honors: Jan. 25
MEN
Player of the Week
Connor Thomson, South Carolina
Thomson, won his singles and doubles matches against both Charlotte and The Citadel to help South Carolina sweep both teams 7-0. He clinched the doubles point against Charlotte and well as the matches versus The Citadel and North Carolina with his singles victories. He led South Carolina to a comeback win over No. 18 North Carolina after falling 1-3 in the match. Provided energy and leadership to rally other players to wins on adjacent courts, allowing South Carolina to earn three singles victories to take the match 4-3. Defeated No. 9 Ryan Seggerman in a thrilling comeback victory to clinch the match, allowing South Carolina their first win over North Carolina since 2003. His win over the nation's ninth-ranked player is the highest ranked singles win of his career. Now has a seven match singles win streak dating back through tournament play and is 5-2 against ranked opponents.
Freshman of the Week
Petar Jovanovic, Mississippi State
Jovanovic, is riding a seven-match winning streak in singles dating back to the fall. He has three wins at the No. 2 position and one victory at No. 1 in singles this spring. He clinched the doubles point in back-to-back matches against East Tennessee State and South Alabama. Also clinched a pair of matches for the Bulldogs against South Alabama and Tennessee State in singles. He has three straight set singles wins in dual matches this season.
WOMEN
Player of the Week
Ayana Akli, South Carolina
Akli, earned her first career win from the No. 1 singles position as a Gamecock, defeating No. 13 Alana Smith of NC State in straight sets to record her highest ranked win of the 2022-23 season. She is on a four-match singles win streak dating back through the Carolina Kickoff (spring tournament) with all four wins coming in straight sets over ranked opponents. She is 11-6 against ranked opponents on the season.
Freshman of the Week
Kaitlyn Carnicella, Auburn
Carnicella,took down the No. 5 singles player in the country, Abbey Forbes of North Carolina, by a 7-6 (2), 6-7 (5), 1-0 (8) score. The match went to a tiebreaker in both of the first two sets and Carnicella took the 10-point tiebreaker in set three to win the match. The win is the freshman's first collegiate singles win over a ranked opponent. She defeated the Iowa State doubles team of Miska Kadleckova and Sofia Cabezas 6-3 alongside partner DJ Bennett and Samford's Alexis Lopez and Lauren Waddles with partner Adeline Flach 6-1. She also defeated Ally Hayduk from Samford 6-4, 6-1. She has posted a 2-1 record in both singles and doubles dual matches so far this season.