Doubles Duo Closes Out 2017 Season

ATHENS, Ga. — Arkansas’ No. 40-ranked duo of senior co-captain Shannon Hudson and freshman Giulia Pairone fell 7-5, 6-1 to defending doubles national champions Brooke Austin and Kourtney Keegan of Florida in the NCAA doubles championship round of 16 on Friday at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex.

Hudson and Pairone jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the first set, but Austin and Keegan rallied to a 7-5 victory and then won the second set 6-1. Hudson and Pairone finished the season with a 10-6 record.

The 2017 NCAA singles and doubles championships marked the individual NCAA debuts for Hudson, Pairone and sophomore Ana Oparenovic who competed in the singles championship Wednesday. Hudson, who is currently ranked No. 45 nationally in singles, also competed in the singles championship Wednesday and earned a 6-3, 6-1 victory over No. 38-ranked Caroline Doyle of 18-time national champion and 2017 runner up Stanford in the opening round.

“I was very proud of all three ladies who competed so well here at the NCAA championships,” head coach Michael Hegarty said. “For Shannon, it was great to see her complete her career with such quality play and this was a huge springboard for Giulia and Ana to be competing for national titles as a freshman and sophomore. Their future is incredibly bright, and we are set up for big things as we now work toward next season.”

A native of Virginia Beach, Virginia, and four-year letter winner, Hudson turned in 117 wins combined in singles and doubles during her collegiate career. She helped lead the Razorbacks to 23 team wins against nationally ranked opponents across the last four seasons. She also helped guide Arkansas to NCAA team tournament appearances in each of the last three seasons as well as a No. 19 final national ranking in 2017.

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