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In five countries worldwide, 18 champions were crowned on the UTR Pro Tennis Tour (PTT) in July. The biggest news was two-time PTT champion's Alex Michelsen's breakthrough run to the final of the ATP 250 in Newport, RI. The teen had great success in a different Newport, on the PTT, in 2022, winning two titles.
The PTT is for players ranked 200-2,000 based on UTR Rating. Every PTT event has at least $25K in financial commitment with higher guaranteed payouts for players than $25K ITF events. The updated 2023 calendar brings the season's prize money to over $4.5 million.
Let's learn more about our July winners.
Pecotic, Urhobo Win in Boca
Last year, Matija Pectotic rekindled his love for competitive tennis on the PTT, and would become a Cinderella story in Delray Beach, where, as an on-site alternate, he qualified for the main draw and defeated Jack Sock. Now the 34-year-old is juggling his office job with a full-time playing schedule, which still includes PTT action. He played the PTT $25K in Boca Raton the first week of July and won the title, his third on the PTT.
"The greatest preparation for ATP Challengers and ATPs for me is actually playing a PTT, by far," Pecotic told Universal Tennis. "You get four matches guaranteed. It's high-level players. If you're ranked around where I am, you know that you'll get some wins, so it will help with your confidence."
At the end of July, Pecotic reached a final of an ATP Challenger in Ecuador, and his ATP ranking is up to No. 435.
Another winner in Boca this month was 16-year-old Akasha Urhobo. It's Urhobo's second PTT title this year, having also won the PTT $25K in April. She's one of the locally based young players that competes in the Battle of Boca $10,000 prize money events that offer wild cards into PTTs.
PTT Enters Taiwan
The PTT officially entered its 26th country by hosting three events in Taiwan. The first, a men's $25K during the week of July 9, was won by Chien Hsun Lo, while the next two were women's events, both captured by 27-year-old Daria Lodikova. The Taipei City hosts even offered free hospitality for players, one of multiple countries to do so, along with Canada, Costa Rica, and Mexico.
Seggerman, Ruiz Prevail in San Diego
Ryan Seggerman finally got his winner's check of $3,600 by winning the PTT $25K in San Diego. The Barnes Tennis Center held a men's and women's PTT as well as the 18U girls and boys' JNP Nationals. Young juniors got the chance to watch pros like Seggerman compete.
Seggerman, a San Diego local who just wrapped up his collegiate career at the University of North Carolina, defeated Isaiah Strode in a three-set final.
"Obviously, it's a good feeling," Seggerman told Universal Tennis. "I've played a couple
Julia Garcia Ruiz, a sophomore at the University of Oklahoma, won the women's $25K PTT by beating Daria Smetannikov in the final.
"Last week, I played in Newport and I lost in the semifinals," Ruiz told Universal Tennis. "But now I won the tournament. I feel pretty good
July Champion's List
Matija Pecotic - Week of July 2, Boca Raton, Fla.
Chisato Kanemaki - Week of July 2, Japan
Oleg Prihodko - Week of July 2, Czech Republic
Guilia Pairone - Week of July 2, Czech Republic
Akasha Urhobo - Week of July 9, Boca Raton, Fla.
Chien Hsun Lo - Week of July 9, Taiwan
Vignesh Gogineni - Week of July 9, Boston, Mass.
Daria Lodikova - Week of July 17, Taiwan
Savannah Broadus - Week of July 17, Newport Beach, Ca.
Alex Kotzen - Week of July 17, Los Angeles, Ca.
Sebastian Sec - Week of July 24, Ann Arbor, Mich.
Julia Fliegner - Week of July 24, Ann Arbor, Mich.
Koki Matsuda - Week of July 24, Japan
Daria Lodikova - Week of July 24, Taiwan
Maciej Rajski - Week of July 24, France
Oleksandra Oliynykova - Week of July 24, France
Ryan Seggerman - Week of July 24, San Diego, Ca.
Julia Garcia Ruiz - Week of July 24, San Diego, Ca.
About the UTR Pro Tennis Tour
The PTT is open to players with a UTR Ranking of 200-2000, and wild cards can be awarded to those players with a UTR Ranking of 1-199 or above 2000. Every PTT event creates matchplay opportunities for up-and-coming, collegiate, and pro players thanks to a unique round-robin format. At every event, a group round-robin stage is followed by a World Cup-style playoff, guaranteeing multiple matches and counting all results towards the UTR Rating, the most accurate rating system in tennis. Every PTT event offers 4-5 matches and a minimum of $20,000 in prize money with an earnings guarantee for every participant.
For more information about UTR PTT and to see all of the results, click here.