The Gator duo of junior Belinda Woolcock and sophomore Josie Kuhlman came out on top Monday afternoon after what was an all-Gator doubles finals match for the USTA/ITA Southeast Regional Championships.
With their win, the duo received an automatic berth to the National Indoor Championships set to start on Nov. 12 in Flushing, New York.
This weekend's tournament was held in Athens, Georgia, but was moved to Gainesville following quarterfinal action. Four UF doubles teams would contest for the title.
The finals saw the No. 54-ranked pairing of Woolcock and Kuhlman upset the No. 1-ranked duo of sophomore Brooke Austin and junior Kourtney Keegan, 3-6, 6-0, 14-12, in a three-set playoff match.
In the 2014-15 season, Woolcock and Kuhlman held the No. 2 doubles spot for the Gators with a regular season record of 4-2 and went 1-0 in Southeastern Conference play.
This was the first tournament that the duo had played together this season.
What makes this victory more impressive is the fact that Woolcock and Kuhlman have a fairly short history of playing together.
Typically paired with junior Spencer Liang, Woolcock posted an 11-5 record in overall play during the 2014-15 season.
A native of Melbourne, Australia, Woolcock has tennis in her blood.
She was introduced to the sport by her mom, along with great uncle Will Coghlan, and instantly fell in love.
Coghlan made an appearance in the semifinals of the 1967 Australia Open Men’s Doubles Championships, and great aunt Lorraine Coghlan Robinson won the 1958 Wimbledon Mixed Doubles Championship with Bob Howe.
Along with her family, Woolcock models her game after all-time greats Kim Clijsters and Serena Williams, players renowned for their aggressive play.
With an overall singles record of 56-20 and a doubles record of 45-26, it’s apparent that the No. 32-ranked Woolcock does not shy away from the tough matches.
The Gators will next travel to Orlando for the USTA Disney Clay Court Classic on Nov. 6 before heading to Flushing for the USTA/ITA National Indoor Championships on Nov. 12.
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Belinda Woolcock hits a two-handed backhand during Florida's 4-0 win against Elon on Jan. 24, 2015.
