CLEMSON, S.C. – Seniors Marie-Alexandre Leduc and Fernanda Navarro, who were crowned Clemson women’s tennis’s first-ever doubles national champions in November of 2018, have achieved another milestone, as the duo has ascended to No. 1 in the nation according to the Intercollegiate Tennis poll released on Feb. 20. It is only the third time in school history that the Tiger women’s tennis team has had the nation’s top-ranked doubles duo, while all three No. 1 rankings have occurred under Head Coach Nancy Harris, who is in her 22nd year at the helm of the Clemson program.
Leduc, from Saguenay, Quebec, and Navarro, from Guadalajara, Mexico, have a 7-1 dual match record so far in 2019, and a 19-4 overall record for the 2018-19 season. The 19 wins include six over nationally-ranked doubles opponents, with four of those wins coming at the Oracle ITA National Fall Championships in November of 2018, where the pair went 5-0 en route to winning the doubles national title. Over the past two years, Leduc and Navarro have a 39-14 overall record and an 18-7 ledger in dual doubles matches.
This is only the third time in Clemson women’s tennis history that a Tiger doubles team has ascended to No. 1 in the national rankings. In 2015, Beatrice Gumulya and Jessy Rompies were ranked No. 1 on Feb. 10, and held on to the spot for two additional rankings cycles, on Feb. 24 and March 10. Clemson’s first-ever top-ranked doubles team was Josipa Bek and Keri Wong, who were ranked No. 1 on March 15, 2011 and again on March 29.
“I want to congratulate Marie and Fernanda for an incredible run to become the No. 1 women’s doubles team in the entire country!" said Head Coach Nancy Harris. "These two senior Tigers are leaving a great legacy and are setting the foundation for future Clemson teams to aspire to!”
