University of Georgia Athletics
Paukstyte Trying To 'Shine' For Bulldogs
April 03, 2026 | Women's Tennis, The Frierson Files
By John Frierson
Staff Writer
Legendary Georgia men's tennis coach Dan Magill probably would have loved watching Patricija Paukstyte play.
Magill was best known for building the Bulldogs into a powerhouse program that won the 1985 and '87 NCAA titles before he retired in 1989 as the winningest coach in Division I history, but he was also a highly-accomplished player who was playing and winning tournaments into his 80s. And he did it with a unique style, hitting nothing but slice (underspin) shots on the forehand and backhand sides.
Watching Paukstyte play Thursday during the top-ranked Georgia women's team's 4-1 win over Kentucky at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex, it was easy to think back to Magill. Backhand slice shots are a regular part of every good player's game, but there was Paukstyte hitting plenty of forehand slices during her singles match at the No. 5 spot against Asuncion Jadue. During one point, she hit three forehand slices in a row.
Paukstyte, a freshman from Kaunas, Lithuania, said she's always enjoyed playing with a lot of variety. Since arriving at Georgia, "we're making it shine even more," she said of her game.
"There was a skill-set that was already there, and we're just trying to kind of refine it to be the best that she can be," Georgia head coach Drake Bernstein said.
Paukstyte thoroughly enjoys playing doubles — teaming up with a partner in the pursuit of victory. While a lot of top juniors mostly focus on singles, doubles has always been a priority, and a pleasure, for her.
"I've always loved doubles, and I've always played doubles. I never played just singles," she said. "It is always fun to have someone next to me to play with, so I always enjoy doubles."
In doubles Thursday, Paukstyte and senior Anastasiia Lopata cruised at the No. 1 spot, defeating Kentucky's duo of Jadue and Reese Sager, 6-2. Paukstyte and Lopata are No. 15 in the most recent ITA doubles rankings, and improved to 11-5 in completed dual-matches this season.
Paukstyte also likes playing singles, but she doesn't often get the chance to do so for the top-ranked Bulldogs. She said she didn't know she was playing singles Thursday until she heard the lineup announced over the loudspeakers after Georgia had clinched the doubles point.
"When I heard my name, it was like, OK, I got to get focused," she said with a big smile.
Paukstyte didn't get to finish her singles match Thursday. Teammate Anastasiia Gureva clinched the victory on court 4, right as Paukstyte and Jadue were heading to a third set. It was just her second appearance in the singles lineup during the dual-match season.
As much as she likes the team aspect of doubles, Paukstyte also really appreciates the challenge that singles presents.
"I love competing, and now that I'm playing for a team, I still like the individual part of singles, of being responsible for myself," she said. "There's the team that you're a part of, but on court, if you're playing singles, you're still alone. I would say I like being responsible for myself and taking responsibility for my own problem-solving."
In Georgia's win 4-0 over Arkansas on March 27, Paukstyte earned the clinching victory with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Jimena Gomez at the No. 6 spot. It was her first singles match for the Bulldogs since November. Overall, she's 5-3 in singles for Georgia since her debut in September.
Paukstyte began playing tennis when she was 7, after her mother and her sister started playing. "They brought me to tennis, and now I'm the only one still playing," she said with another smile. Smiling is something the cheerful Paukstyte does often. She has "great energy," Bernstein said.
In her time at Georgia, Paukstyte said, the biggest improvements in her game have come on the mental side.
"Mentally, we've been talking and working on it a lot," she said. "Also, my game style, (developing) my biggest weapons, and what I need to do to help make the decisions easier and be more sure of what I want to do on the court."
The Bulldogs (14-4, 9-3 SEC) are back at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex on Saturday (3 p,m.) for a match against No. 15 Tennessee. The match will be Georgia's 13th against a top-25 opponent this season.
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Staff Writer
Legendary Georgia men's tennis coach Dan Magill probably would have loved watching Patricija Paukstyte play.
Magill was best known for building the Bulldogs into a powerhouse program that won the 1985 and '87 NCAA titles before he retired in 1989 as the winningest coach in Division I history, but he was also a highly-accomplished player who was playing and winning tournaments into his 80s. And he did it with a unique style, hitting nothing but slice (underspin) shots on the forehand and backhand sides.
Watching Paukstyte play Thursday during the top-ranked Georgia women's team's 4-1 win over Kentucky at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex, it was easy to think back to Magill. Backhand slice shots are a regular part of every good player's game, but there was Paukstyte hitting plenty of forehand slices during her singles match at the No. 5 spot against Asuncion Jadue. During one point, she hit three forehand slices in a row.
Paukstyte, a freshman from Kaunas, Lithuania, said she's always enjoyed playing with a lot of variety. Since arriving at Georgia, "we're making it shine even more," she said of her game.
"There was a skill-set that was already there, and we're just trying to kind of refine it to be the best that she can be," Georgia head coach Drake Bernstein said.
Paukstyte thoroughly enjoys playing doubles — teaming up with a partner in the pursuit of victory. While a lot of top juniors mostly focus on singles, doubles has always been a priority, and a pleasure, for her.
"I've always loved doubles, and I've always played doubles. I never played just singles," she said. "It is always fun to have someone next to me to play with, so I always enjoy doubles."
In doubles Thursday, Paukstyte and senior Anastasiia Lopata cruised at the No. 1 spot, defeating Kentucky's duo of Jadue and Reese Sager, 6-2. Paukstyte and Lopata are No. 15 in the most recent ITA doubles rankings, and improved to 11-5 in completed dual-matches this season.
Paukstyte also likes playing singles, but she doesn't often get the chance to do so for the top-ranked Bulldogs. She said she didn't know she was playing singles Thursday until she heard the lineup announced over the loudspeakers after Georgia had clinched the doubles point.
"When I heard my name, it was like, OK, I got to get focused," she said with a big smile.
Paukstyte didn't get to finish her singles match Thursday. Teammate Anastasiia Gureva clinched the victory on court 4, right as Paukstyte and Jadue were heading to a third set. It was just her second appearance in the singles lineup during the dual-match season.
As much as she likes the team aspect of doubles, Paukstyte also really appreciates the challenge that singles presents.
"I love competing, and now that I'm playing for a team, I still like the individual part of singles, of being responsible for myself," she said. "There's the team that you're a part of, but on court, if you're playing singles, you're still alone. I would say I like being responsible for myself and taking responsibility for my own problem-solving."
In Georgia's win 4-0 over Arkansas on March 27, Paukstyte earned the clinching victory with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Jimena Gomez at the No. 6 spot. It was her first singles match for the Bulldogs since November. Overall, she's 5-3 in singles for Georgia since her debut in September.
Paukstyte began playing tennis when she was 7, after her mother and her sister started playing. "They brought me to tennis, and now I'm the only one still playing," she said with another smile. Smiling is something the cheerful Paukstyte does often. She has "great energy," Bernstein said.
In her time at Georgia, Paukstyte said, the biggest improvements in her game have come on the mental side.
"Mentally, we've been talking and working on it a lot," she said. "Also, my game style, (developing) my biggest weapons, and what I need to do to help make the decisions easier and be more sure of what I want to do on the court."
The Bulldogs (14-4, 9-3 SEC) are back at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex on Saturday (3 p,m.) for a match against No. 15 Tennessee. The match will be Georgia's 13th against a top-25 opponent this season.
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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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