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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.
![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0690/8071/1488/files/matija.jpg)
"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.
![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0690/8071/1488/files/akasha.jpg)
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.
![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0690/8071/1488/files/brody.jpg)
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
![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0690/8071/1488/files/Seggerman-1.jpg)
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
![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0690/8071/1488/files/julia.jpg)
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.