University of Kentucky women’s tennis players Akvilė Paražinskaitė and Lesedi Jacobs remain undefeated through nine doubles matches this fall, after collecting their second straight doubles championship this preseason at the Ohio Valley Regional Championships on Monday.
It marks the third doubles championship title earned by Kentucky in four seasons at the annual regional showcase.
The No. 2-seeded Kentucky doubles team of graduate student Paražinskaitė and redshirt junior Jacobs defeated five doubles teams en route to becoming the regional doubles champions. Their second straight doubles championship title earned this fall, it came less than one month after topping a strong field in Waco, Texas, to become the Baylor Invite doubles champions.
In all, the threatening twosome has won nine doubles matches to begin the preseason schedule. Five of those nine wins came at the regional tournament, with the No. 2-seeded Kentucky pair defeating the No. 4-seeded Xavier pair in the championship match Monday morning. The UK duo defeated Ahmeir Kyle and Emily Thomas of Xaiver on a 7-5, 6-2 decision in the championship match.
By earning the regional doubles title, Paražinskaitė and Jacobs have punched their ticket to the International Tennis Federation Fall Nationals in Newport Beach, California, Nov. 7-11.
This is not the first time that Paražinskaitė and Jacobs have won the regional doubles title, though its their first time winning as a pair. In 2016, then-freshman Jacobs won with former Wildcat Justina Mikulskyte. In 2017, then-junior Paražinskaite won the doubles title paired with former Wildcat Mami Adachi.
Paražinskaitė and Jacobs also had successful runs in the main singles draw. In the 128-person draw, No. 4 Jacobs reached the quarterfinals, while No. 12 Paražinskaitė reached the semifinals.
Hosted by Middle Tennessee at the Adams Tennis Complex, the Ohio Valley Regional Championships featured all 23 teams that make up the region, including Austin Peay, Belmont, Butler, Chattanooga, Cincinnati, East Tennessee State, Indiana, IUPUI, Kentucky, Lipscomb, Louisville, Memphis, Miami-OH, Middle Tennessee State, Northern Kentucky, Purdue, Southeast Missouri State, Tennessee, Tennessee State, UT Martin, Wright State, Xavier and Vanderbilt.
Next on the Schedule
The Kentucky women’s tennis team will return home to compete in the second annual Kentucky Invite on Nov. 1-3. Kentucky will host five other teams – DePaul, Miami, Penn State, Utah, Virginia Tech – for a hidden-dual format at Top Seed Tennis Club.
For the latest on the Kentucky women’s tennis program, follow @UKWomensTennis on Twitter and on Instagram, on Facebook and on the web at UKathletics.com.
