In Orlando, roommates Gabriel Friedrich and Harrison O’Keefe found themselves on opposite sides of the court in the championship match of the Gold Draw at the USTA Clay Court Invitational. Friedrich earned the trophy and bragging rights, defeating O’Keefe 6-3, 6-7 (0), 6-4.
The Gamecocks excelled, particularly Friedrich, who had not lost a set until dropping the second to his roommate in the final. In the Garnet Draw, redshirt freshman Wood Benton won three matches to advance to the quarterfinal, before losing to the top seed. Juniors Alex Fennell and Sam Swank also had success, as each reached the round of 16.
Friedrich and O’Keefe also had success in the doubles tournament, reaching the semifinals of the Gold Draw. In the Garnet Draw, Benton and Yancy Dennis reached the semifinal as well, falling to the third-seeded duo from Louisville.
The men’s team had a great deal of success, finishing 14-4 in singles play, excluding O'Keefe's loss in the final between the two South Carolina teammates. In addition to the success in singles, two of the team’s three doubles pairings reached the semifinals, building momentum as the season goes forward.
In Durham, the women’s team was in action, playing in a collaborative effort by North Carolina and Duke's Kitty Harrison Invitational. The tournament was played in a round robin style, so while there was no winner, freshman Paige Cline had a tremendous weekend, finishing ranked as the tournament’s second best player.
Cline did not drop a set in her three singles wins, improving her record to 8-3 this season, including 7-1 in her last eight matches. The freshman standout also played to a doubles win alongside fellow freshman Ellie Zogg, completing a perfect weekend.
The rest of the team struggled, however, with Alison Mills and Hannah Templeton finishing with 1-2 singles records for the weekend. The Gamecocks will look to improve over the break, as the team does not play again until Jan. 17, when they take on Furman and South Alabama at the Carolina Tennis Center.