University of Georgia Athletics
Dong Keeps Rolling For Bulldogs
May 09, 2026 | Women's Tennis, The Frierson Files
By John Frierson
Staff Writer
For years, the No. 5 spot in the singles lineup has been a strength of the Georgia women's tennis team. Different players have taken the court for the Bulldogs, but the results — way, way more wins than losses — have continued. Freshman Emma Dong is doing her part to carry on that tradition this spring.
On Friday afternoon at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex, in the round of 16 of the NCAA tournament, Dong earned the clinching victory at No. 5 to send the top-seeded and defending champion Bulldogs past UCLA, 4-1, and into next week's quarterfinals on their home courts. She beat Olivia Center, 7-5, 6-2, to earn her seventh straight win at No. 5 and her 12th win in a row overall.
Both players struggled to hold serve early, and then Center charged out to a 5-3 lead. Dong, who has seldom played like a freshman since she arrived at Georgia, quickly regrouped and went on a charge of her own. She won the next four games to take the first set, and then ran out to a 3-0 lead in the second before closing out the match and the Bulldog win.
"It was a little rocky at the start, but I found my way at the end of the match," Dong said. "I'm happy with my performance."
Over the past five seasons, Georgia players have a combined record of 91-22 on court 5. The Bulldogs went 14-4 in 2022, 20-6 in 2023 (Meg Kowalski was 15-2), 22-5 in 2024 (Guillermina Grant was 15-4; Aysegul Mert 7-0), and last season, Grant went 18-3 and the Bulldogs were 20-4. Over her last two seasons, Grant, who earned a master's degree from UGA this week, was 33-7 at the No. 5 spot.
After Grant graduated last year, it was time for someone new to emerge as Georgia's new No. 5 standout. That role has been split this season by Dong and Sofia Rojas, with Dong now 7-1 after Friday's win (she's also 6-0 at No. 6) and Rojas at 7-2. With her win at No. 6 Friday, 6-0, 7-5 over Ahmani Guichard, Rojas, a senior, is 5-4 on that court.
Since the dual-match season began in January, Dong has played 18 completed singles matches: eight at No. 5, six at No. 6, four at No. 4, and one at No. 3. Her record in those matches is 17-1.
"As this season's gone on, she started to see her level kind of come true," Georgia head coach Drake Bernstein said. "Maybe early in the year it was, Wow, I'm playing well. And now it's more of a discovery of, This is my level. It's been fun to see her come along."
Bernstein said Dong's serve has improved during the season, which has allowed her to put more pressure on her opponents from the outset of points during her service games. Her forehand is also becoming more of a force that allows her to hit winners and dictate points.
"They've both always been there, but they're starting to break away a little bit more as she's starting to get more familiar with her weapons," he said.
Dong hasn't just been getting the job done well in singles. She and partner Anastasiia Gureva are now 11-3 in doubles at the No. 3 spot. Against UCLA's tandem of Kayla Chung and Guichard in Friday's Super Regional, the Bulldog duo got behind 2-0 before winning six straight games to take the set 6-2. Dong was serving down 0-2 and love-30 when she had a quick talk with herself, she said.
"I kind of just reminded myself that we're out here playing for Georgia, there's a good crowd, and I just need to stay locked in and communicate with my partner," Dong said. "I think we got it after that. I think we found our rhythm after that game, and then we won six games in a row."
After Dong and Geruva won at No. 3, Georgia clinched the doubles point with a win by Anastasiia Lopata and Patricija Paukstyte at No. 1. The No. 19-ranked duo took down the No. 24-ranked team of Kate Fakih and Center, 6-3.
In singles, Rojas put the Bulldogs ahead 2-0 with her win over Guichard on court 6. Soon after, Deniz Dilek made it 3-0 with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Fakih at No. 3. The Bruins got on the scoreboard with a win at No. 4, where Bianca Fernandez defeated Gureva, 7-5, 6-4. There was no chance for the Bruins to build any momentum, however, as Dong closed out her win on No. 5 a few minutes later.
Dong hasn't lost a singles match since Feb. 10, when she fell in two tight sets, 6-4, 7-6, to Ohio State's Audrey Spencer at the No. 5 spot during the finals of the ITA National Team Indoor Championships. Georgia went on to win its second straight Indoor national title despite the loss, and now the Bulldogs are chasing a second straight NCAA championship.
Georgia, which has won 21 matches in a row at home, will take on No. 8-seeded N.C. State in the quarterfinals next Friday.
"I'm super excited," Dong said. "It means a lot to be in the final eight playing here at Georgia. It's going to be an amazing experience."
Staff Writer
For years, the No. 5 spot in the singles lineup has been a strength of the Georgia women's tennis team. Different players have taken the court for the Bulldogs, but the results — way, way more wins than losses — have continued. Freshman Emma Dong is doing her part to carry on that tradition this spring.
On Friday afternoon at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex, in the round of 16 of the NCAA tournament, Dong earned the clinching victory at No. 5 to send the top-seeded and defending champion Bulldogs past UCLA, 4-1, and into next week's quarterfinals on their home courts. She beat Olivia Center, 7-5, 6-2, to earn her seventh straight win at No. 5 and her 12th win in a row overall.
Both players struggled to hold serve early, and then Center charged out to a 5-3 lead. Dong, who has seldom played like a freshman since she arrived at Georgia, quickly regrouped and went on a charge of her own. She won the next four games to take the first set, and then ran out to a 3-0 lead in the second before closing out the match and the Bulldog win.
"It was a little rocky at the start, but I found my way at the end of the match," Dong said. "I'm happy with my performance."
Over the past five seasons, Georgia players have a combined record of 91-22 on court 5. The Bulldogs went 14-4 in 2022, 20-6 in 2023 (Meg Kowalski was 15-2), 22-5 in 2024 (Guillermina Grant was 15-4; Aysegul Mert 7-0), and last season, Grant went 18-3 and the Bulldogs were 20-4. Over her last two seasons, Grant, who earned a master's degree from UGA this week, was 33-7 at the No. 5 spot.
After Grant graduated last year, it was time for someone new to emerge as Georgia's new No. 5 standout. That role has been split this season by Dong and Sofia Rojas, with Dong now 7-1 after Friday's win (she's also 6-0 at No. 6) and Rojas at 7-2. With her win at No. 6 Friday, 6-0, 7-5 over Ahmani Guichard, Rojas, a senior, is 5-4 on that court.
Since the dual-match season began in January, Dong has played 18 completed singles matches: eight at No. 5, six at No. 6, four at No. 4, and one at No. 3. Her record in those matches is 17-1.
"As this season's gone on, she started to see her level kind of come true," Georgia head coach Drake Bernstein said. "Maybe early in the year it was, Wow, I'm playing well. And now it's more of a discovery of, This is my level. It's been fun to see her come along."
Bernstein said Dong's serve has improved during the season, which has allowed her to put more pressure on her opponents from the outset of points during her service games. Her forehand is also becoming more of a force that allows her to hit winners and dictate points.
"They've both always been there, but they're starting to break away a little bit more as she's starting to get more familiar with her weapons," he said.
Dong hasn't just been getting the job done well in singles. She and partner Anastasiia Gureva are now 11-3 in doubles at the No. 3 spot. Against UCLA's tandem of Kayla Chung and Guichard in Friday's Super Regional, the Bulldog duo got behind 2-0 before winning six straight games to take the set 6-2. Dong was serving down 0-2 and love-30 when she had a quick talk with herself, she said.
"I kind of just reminded myself that we're out here playing for Georgia, there's a good crowd, and I just need to stay locked in and communicate with my partner," Dong said. "I think we got it after that. I think we found our rhythm after that game, and then we won six games in a row."
After Dong and Geruva won at No. 3, Georgia clinched the doubles point with a win by Anastasiia Lopata and Patricija Paukstyte at No. 1. The No. 19-ranked duo took down the No. 24-ranked team of Kate Fakih and Center, 6-3.
In singles, Rojas put the Bulldogs ahead 2-0 with her win over Guichard on court 6. Soon after, Deniz Dilek made it 3-0 with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Fakih at No. 3. The Bruins got on the scoreboard with a win at No. 4, where Bianca Fernandez defeated Gureva, 7-5, 6-4. There was no chance for the Bruins to build any momentum, however, as Dong closed out her win on No. 5 a few minutes later.
Dong hasn't lost a singles match since Feb. 10, when she fell in two tight sets, 6-4, 7-6, to Ohio State's Audrey Spencer at the No. 5 spot during the finals of the ITA National Team Indoor Championships. Georgia went on to win its second straight Indoor national title despite the loss, and now the Bulldogs are chasing a second straight NCAA championship.
Georgia, which has won 21 matches in a row at home, will take on No. 8-seeded N.C. State in the quarterfinals next Friday.
"I'm super excited," Dong said. "It means a lot to be in the final eight playing here at Georgia. It's going to be an amazing experience."
Assistant Sports Communications Director John Frierson is the staff writer for the UGA Athletic Association and curator of the ITA Men's Tennis Hall of Fame. You can find his work at: Frierson Files.
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