Another Grand Slam is underway and that means opportunities for players to break through on the greatest stage of the sport. Just like in majors past, there is strong UTR Pro Tennis Tour representation present in multiple draws.
Launched in 2021 by UTR Sports, the PTT is a developmental tour for aspiring pros ranked in the 200-2,000 range (by UTR Rating). Players compete all over the world in $25K tournaments with guaranteed prize money and multiple matches each week. The tour will expand in 2025.
Main Draw Features Big Names
Most notably, the main draw features 2022 Bradenton PTT champion Taylor Townsend as she continues her rise back up the rankings in both singles and doubles. She was a doubles finalist in Paris last year, with Leylah Fernandez.
Recent Dubai PTT champion Vera Zvonareva will join her in the doubles draw, though the 39-year-old has also been playing singles again.
Last year’s doubles US Open champion Erin Routliffe will look to win her first major on clay. She spoke highly of the PTT, where she competed in 2021.
In men’s main draw action, the PTT alumni include Ben Shelton (Bradenton 2021), Alex Michelsen (two-time Newport Beach champion), and Pedro Cachin (Barcelona 2021 champion).
PTT Stars Make Moves in Qualifying
Qualifying this week, which runs May 20-25, is stacked with PTT faces. Katie Volynets, Kimberly Birrell, Taylah Preston, Darja Semenistaja, and Yuliia Starodubtseva all won their opening rounds. Semenistaja and Starodubtseva are both recent PTT champions, with Starodubtseva capturing a PTT $25K in Atlanta last year, and Semenistaja winning a title in Croatia, also in 2023.
For Semenistaja, Croatia marked her sixth PTT crown. Just 21 years old, Semenistaja has won a PTT title every year since the tour launched. Her win in Paris this week was her first at Roland Garros.
The men’s qualifying draw has seen two-time PTT champion Tristan Boyer make his Roland Garros debut (falling in the first round). Zachary Svajda, who competed on the PTT in Newport Beach in 2021, won his first qualifying match for his first-ever career win in Paris.
Five-time PTT champion Li Tu emerged victorious in his opener, defeating Oliver Crawford. After a hiatus from pro tennis, Tu rediscovered his competitive drive by competing on the PTT in his native Australia.