So, what was the Gators\u2019 secret to winning matches without claiming the doubles point? The mentality not to give up.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve won without it, and we\u2019ve lost without it,\u201d associate head coach Axel Damiens said. \u201cThey understood that it doesn’t matter.\u201d<\/p>\n
The coaching staff continuously stressed that losing the dual matches shouldn’t affect their confidence going into singles.<\/p>\n
And the players reciprocated that mentality. In the Gators\u2019 match against then-No. 11 Tennessee, Black dominated Catherina Aulia in a 6-2 contest after losing the doubles point 7-5. Gynina did the same in a match against Mississippi State\u2019s Thes Ntondele Zinga, taking a three-set 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 victory after a doubles loss.\u00a0<\/p>\n
However, while winning or losing the doubles point may not have impacted the Gators, the court they were playing on certainly did. Competing on another university\u2019s home courts with little fan support, the Gators\u2019 confidence dimmed.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love playing at home,\u201d Pawlak said. \u201cIt makes such a huge difference when we’re away.\u201d<\/p>\n
The results proved that. The Gators boasted a 10-1 overall record at home. In three of the five matches when Florida lost the doubles point and made a comeback victory, the Gators were accompanied by cheers from fans filling the Alfred A. Ring Tennis Complex stands.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Doubles teams<\/p>\n
Taking five straight doubles losses in the mid-season, Gynina and Black, who were once responsible for taking the Gators to victory in doubles, hit a season-low record.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Struggling with unforced errors and returning serves, Gynina and Black were rapidly trending downward. Black also suffered a minor injury in April, making her nervous to keep playing and forcing her to miss two matches.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But as the season progressed and the team focused on practicing its doubles showing, Gynina and Black got back in their groove. The duo recorded a four-game winning streak near the end of the season, defeating top opponents like Auburn\u2019s then-No. 19 Angella Okutoyi and Mema Refaat.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
For the graduate-freshman pair Houghton and Pawlak, the journey looked different. Having missed out on playing together in the fall, Houghton and Pawlak began building a relationship at the beginning of the spring.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And the lack of foundation showed.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey had zero chemistry together in the beginning,\u201d Nilsson said, \u201cto the point where they didn’t want to play with each other.\u201d<\/p>\n
Houghton and Pawlak\u2019s struggle reflected in their results, as the pair couldn\u2019t clinch a victory until the third match they played together. Determined to help Houghton and Pawlak, Nilsson had a plan to drive them to success.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had a meeting with both of them individually and told them \u2018Look, you have to try to have some chemistry,\u2019\u201d Nilsson said.<\/p>\n
From there, Houghton and Pawlak built a strong foundation in doubles. The tandem recorded a five-game winning streak in March, each earning SEC honors in the process.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom the beginning of the season to the end, we improved and got so much closer,\u201d Houghton said. \u201cWe felt like a different team.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Florida\u2019s top doubles team, Nong and Daubnerova, had a standout first season as a duo. They climbed the ITA rankings to become the No. 14 doubles team in the nation, making important moves against top opponents.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Nong and Daubnerova earned their season-best win, defeating Auburn\u2019s No. 2 DJ Bennett and Ava Esposito in a dominant 6-4 contest. In the Gators\u2019 match against South Carolina, Nong and Daubnerova swept the No. 9 duo of Buchwald and Friedman to finish them 6-1.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ending with an 18-14 doubles record in the 2026 campaign, Nong and Daubnerova proved they deserved the No. 1 court. But the pair won\u2019t play together again, as Nong graduated from UF in the Spring.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Reflecting on the season’s doubles performances, Nilsson emphasized the importance of a strong doubles showing, even though it only adds one point to the scoreboard.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt’s not the end of the world,\u201d Nilsson said. \u201cBut as a coach, when you lose the doubles point, it scares you because now we can’t afford any slip-ups.\u201d<\/p>\n
Improvement\u00a0<\/p>\n
Determined to make a comeback in what was once their specialty, the Gators worked on improving their doubles showing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe went back to simple,\u201d Damiens said. \u201cJust having fun and playing with each other.\u201d<\/p>\n
Florida focused on the basics and avoided overcomplicating their play. The results showed the effort to improve was there.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Against then-No. 13 Vanderbilt, Florida dominated doubles in one of its strongest matches of the season. Gynina and Black took a 6-2 victory over the Commodores’ then-No. 10 Valeria Ray and Bridget Stammel, giving the Florida duo their highest-ranked win of the season. On court three, Houghton and Pawlak finished the job with a 6-3 win over Erin Pearce and Mia Yamakita, giving Florida the doubles point for the first time in three matches.<\/p>\n
The Gators took that momentum to the next weekend, where they claimed a hard-fought doubles point over Missouri. Then-No. 19 Nong and Daubnerova swept Laea Quaglia and Gia Octa, 6-2, while Houghton and Pawlak went 6-1 over Alex Ackman and Zoe Lazar. Having the doubles point advantage, Florida entered singles comfortably and closed out the match with three more wins, finishing 4-0 against the Tigers.<\/p>\n
Fresh off the win over Missouri, the Gators secured the doubles point against Arkansas for a third weekend in a row. Houghton and Pawlak finished 6-0 for the first time in the season against Jimena Gomez Alonso and Alexandra Panagiotidou. Extending Florida\u2019s dominance, Gynina and Black went 6-1 over Brooke Schafer and Arina Babenko to give the Gators the doubles point.<\/p>\n
Winning the doubles point in four of their last six matches, the Gators managed to bring back some of the doubles momentum they carried in the early season.<\/p>\n
Looking ahead<\/p>\n
With Houghton and Nong graduated, Florida has to build two new doubles teams this season.<\/p>\n
Luckily for the Gators, they rely on a young roster to keep them competitive. Florida has the summer to make minor tweaks to each doubles pairing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
One thing is clear from the 2026 season: The Gators have the potential to take their doubles performances to the next level.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re going to try to do a good job this fall,\u201d said Nilsson. \u201cWe have a lot of players that we can work with.\u201d<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/9f1eb9cf-7206-439d-8f20-2ebd67be46e0.sized-1000x1000.jpg\")
<\/p>\n