5 min read
Another month, another flurry of UTR Pro Tennis Tour events all over the globe. In September, 19 men’s and women’s $25K events took place in six countries and nine cities. There were repeat champions and new faces, so let’s take a closer look at some of the winners.
Gabriela Knutson Heads Down Pro Path
During the week of Aug. 29-Sept. 5, Gabriela Knutson (UTR Rating 10.52) won her first professional event, in Sofia, Bulgaria. The 24-year-old Czech beat Russia’s Daria Lodikova
(UTR Rating 10.72) in the final, 7-6(6), 6-3, and dropped just one set in group play.
"This summer was my first little dabble into professional tournaments," Knutson said. "I love Universal Tennis so much because it gave me the chance to see what level I'm at. I feel great. If I'm not injured and if I play other PTT's next year and still play well, then I'll go pro. Without Universal Tennis, I don't think I would have made that decision."
The 24-year-old Knutson is currently based at Durham University in the United Kingdom where she's working on her second Master's Degree. She graduated from the University of Syracuse in 2019 after leading her team to three NCAA appearances.
Marcela Zacarias' Win Streak Reaches 46
Over in Texas, Marcela Zacarias
(UTR Rating 11.24) extended her title haul to seven by winning the PTT Women’s $25K Dallas Hard 2 in the first week of September. Her win streak would continue the following week at the PTT Women’s $25K Dallas Hard 3, extending to 46 in a row until the final where she was beaten by Quinn Gleason
(UTR Rating 11.13). The 7-5 6-4 loss marked Zacarias’ first-ever on the PTT.
Boyer, Makarova Wins Second PTT Crown
Stanford’s Tristan Boyer
(UTR Rating 13.46) won the PTT Newport Beach Men’s $25K Hard 10 over UCLA junior Drew Baird
(UTR Rating 13.29), 6-3, 6-4. It marked Boyer’s second PTT title in a row after winning the Newport Beach Hard 9 in late August. The 20-year-old sophomore has played five PTT events in 2021, compiling a 22-4 record.
Boyer is available on Paid Hits for anyone in his area looking to pay $150 to share a court with him. Paid Hits is a recently launched initiative by Universal Tennis pairing elite current and former college and pro players with local people willing to pay for a hit.
Last week, Tatiana Makarova
(UTR Rating 10.86) won the PTT Women's $25K Hard 1 held in College Station at her home courts at Texas A&M University. The senior beat her Texas A&M teammate Jayci Goldsmith
(UTR Rating 10.49) in the final for her second PTT crown of 2021 after winning the first PTT event held in New York in August.
Andrey Chepelev Picks Up First Pro Title
In Ricany, Czech Republic, 23-year-old Andrey Chepelev
(UTR Rating 13.38) won his first pro tournament at the PTT Czech Republic Men’s $25K Clay 1 during the week of Sept. 6-12. The Russian lost a match in group play but due to games won, he advanced to the 1st Place playoff and beat Marek Jaloviec
(UTR Rating 13.38), 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, in the final.
"A minimum of multiple matches is very, very good for increasing your level," Chepelev said. "Because many times when playing ITF or ATP tournaments, you lose first round and then all week you're not doing anything but practicing. Even if you lose all your PTT matches, you get paid, and if you win some, you can cover your weekly costs so it's great."
The following week, also in Ricany, Chepelev would finish fourth at the PTT Czech Republic Men's $25K Clay 2, and carry his momentum into an ITF M15 in Pirot, Serbia, where he reached the semifinals. He's been on the road for over three months and after a two-week training block at his home base in Spain, he plans to play more PTT events.
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.