October 26, 2024

Cassone-Smith, Lajal-Gojo in MarketBeat Open Semi-finals   American and European Duo Meet in Semi-finals

SIOUX FALLS – The semi-finals at the MarketBeat Open presented by USTA Northern on Saturday feature in-state college rivals Murphy Cassone of Arizona State against wild card Colton Smith of the University of Arizona and Mark Lajal of Estonia against Croatian qualifier Borna Gojo.

In the first match at noon on Saturday, the doubles championship is between American top seeds Ryan Seggerman and Patrik Trhac and Canadian No. 3 seeds Liam Draxl and Cleeve Harper.

The $82,000 ATP Challenger Tour event, which is the first time a professional tennis tournament in South Dakota has been held as the Huether Family Match Pointe plays host on the Sanford Sports Complex.

Cassone, 22, ranked No. 363, upset top seed Eubanks 7-6(3), 4-6, 7-5, to reach his second straight semi-final. Last week he qualified in Calgary and captured his first title to climb from No. 599 to No. 363.  He will now face his in-state college rival Smith.

In Friday’s other matches, 21-year-old Smith saved 12 of 15 break points and advanced to his first career Challenger semi-final with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 victory over Ozan Baris, a 20-year-old who plays on the Michigan State Univ. team.

Lajal defated No. 6 seed Patrick Kypson 7-6(3), 6-3, to reach his third Challenger semi-final of the season. He will next face Gojo, who rallied from a set down for the second straight match to beat No. 8 seed Brandon Holt 4-6, 7-6(1), 6-2. Gojo missed seven months this year with a back injury and he’s appearing in his first Challenger SF since Tunis in May 2023.

Both of Saturday’s semi-finals will be first-time meetings as Cassone takes on Smith and Lajal and Gojo square off. Three of the four players (except Cassone) are trying to win their first ATP Challenger Tour title of the season.

October 25, 2024

 Six Americans in MarketBeat Open Quarter-finals
 No. 1 Seed Eubanks, No. 6 Kypson, No. 8 Holt among Six Americans in QFs

SIOUX FALLS – The quarter-finals at the MarketBeat Open presented by USTA Northern on Friday feature Americans top seed Christopher Eubanks, No. 6 Patrick Kypson and No. 8 Brandon Holt. The other Americans are current college players Murphy Cassone (Arizona State), wild card Colton Smith (Arizona) and Ozan Baris (Michigan State). 

The $82,000 ATP Challenger Tour event, which is the first time a professional tennis tournament in South Dakota has been held as the Huether Family Match Pointe plays host on the Sanford Sports Complex.

Eubanks rallied from a slow start to beat No. 240-ranked Canadian Alexis Galarneau 3-6, 6-2, 7-6(3) to reach his third straight Challenger quarter-final and seventh overall QF this season on all levels. The 28-year-old Atlanta native fired 18 aces in the first third-set tie-break singles match in the tournament.   

In Thursday’s other matches, Kypson defeated countryman Aidan Mayo 7-6(5), 6-2, Mark Lajal of Estonia rallied to beat No. 3 seed Zachary Svajda 3-6, 6-2, 6-0 and Cassone received a walkover from Stefan Kozlov, who withdrew due to a left foot injury he sustained in his Monday win over No. 5 seed Dmitry Popko.

On Friday’s schedule, Kypson begins the quarter-final line-up against Lajal in a first-time meeting and next up is Holt against Croatian qualifier Borna Gojo, who won the last meeting in three tie-breaks last year in qualifying at ATP Masters 1000 Miami.  Holt won the first meeting in three sets in a 2017 U.S. Futures event.

In the third match on, collegiate players Smith and Baris square off with a first career Challenger semi-final on the line. Smith reached his first Challenger quarter-final in Tiburon earlier this month and Baris, who is the lowest-ranked player remaining at No. 709, is appearing in his first career quarter-final.

In the final match on, Eubanks takes on for the first time 20-year-old Cassone, who captured his first career Challenger title in Calgary on Sunday.

October 24, 2024

Three Seeds Attempt to Reach Quarter-finals
Top seed Eubanks, No. 3 Svajda, No. 6 Kypson Lead American Contingent

SIOUX FALLS – The four remaining second round matches on Thursday’s schedule at the MarketBeat Open presented by USTA Northern are headlined by the American trio of top seed Christopher Eubanks, No. 3 Zachary Svajda and No. 6 Patrick Kypson.
There are three other Americans on the schedule, Calgary champion Murphy Cassone who takes on Stefan Kozlov and Kypson who meets Aidan Mayo.

The $82,000 ATP Challenger Tour event, which is the first time a professional tennis tournament in South Dakota has been held as the Huether Family Match Pointe plays host on the Sanford Sports Complex.

No. 8 Brandon Holt, the only seed in action on Wednesday, defeated countryman Eliot Spizzirri 6-4, 6-3, to reach his 10th Challenger quarter-final of the season. Holt takes on Croatian qualifier Borna Gojo, who rallied past Denis Kudla, 4-6, 6-0, 7-5.

In other matches, 20-year-old Ozan Baris, a junior at Michigan State Univ., advanced to his first career Challenger quarter-final with a 7-6(4), 6-4 victory over countryman Govind Nanda. Baris will meet Univ. of Arizona wild card Colton Smith, who defeated British wild card and former World No. 14 Kyle Edmund 7-6(4), 6-4.

In the first singles match on Stadium 1 on Thursday, Kypson takes on Aidan Mayo, who won the only previous meeting in Fairfield, Calif. last September. In the next match on, 21-year-olds Svajda and Mark Lajal of Estonia square off for the first time.

In the evening session, Eubanks looks for his second win in as many meetings against Canadian Alexis Galarneau. Last month Eubanks won in three sets in the quarter-finals in Charleston.

In the final match on, Calgary champion Murphy Cassone, who jumped from No. 599 to a career-high No. 363 after his first Challenger title, meets countryman Stefan Kozlov for the first time. Kozlov upset No. 5 seed Dmitry Popko in the first round on Monday.

October 23, 2024

 Six Americans in Second Round Action
 No. 8 seed Holt, British Wild Card Edmund Headline Day 3

SIOUX FALLS – There are four second round matches on Wednesday’s schedule at the MarketBeat Open presented by USTA Northern, with No. 8 seed Brandon Holt and British wild card Kyle Edmund leading the way.

The $82,000 ATP Challenger Tour event, which is the first time a professional tennis tournament in South Dakota has been held as the Huether Family Match Pointe plays host on the Sanford Sports Complex.

After a 6-2 opening day record on Monday with the only two losses coming in all-American matches, the home country compiled a 6-6 record on Tuesday with four of the losses in all-American contests. 

Seeds went 2-3 on Tuesday with No. 1 Christopher Eubanks and No. 3 Zachary Svajda advancing to the second round. Eubanks fired 17 aces in his 6-4, 7-6(7) victory over qualifier Keegan Smith while Svajda saved two match points in his 1-6, 6-3, 7-5 win over qualifier Martin Borisiouk, who is a junior at North Carolina State University.

No. 2 seed Mitchell Krueger fell to Croatian qualifier Borna Gojo 6-2, 6-3, No. 4 Maks Kasnikowski of Poland lost to British wild card Kyle Edmund 6-7(7), 6-4, 6-1, and No. 7 Nishesh Basavareddy was upset by countryman Govind Nanda 6-4, 6-4.

In the first singles match on Stadium 1 on Wednesday, No. 8 seed Brandon Holt takes on countryman Eliot Spizzirri for the second straight tournament. Two weeks ago Holt won 7-5, 7-5, in the second round in Fairfield, Calif. en route to the semi-finals.
In the next match, Ozan Baris plays special exempt Govind Nanda, who is coming off a runner-up in Calgary on Sunday. Baris, who plays on the Michigan State team, is trying to reach his first career Challenger quarter-final.

In the evening session, Denis Kudla meets Borna Gojo, who advanced to the 4th Round at last year’s US Open.  Last on is a wild card battle between Edmund and American Colton Smith, who is a senior on the University of Arizona team

October 22, 2024

American Top 3 Seeds Headline Remaining First Round Play
No. 1 seed Eubanks, No. 2 Krueger, No. 3 Svajda on Stadium 1

SIOUX FALLS – The remaining 10 first round matches are on Tuesday’s schedule at the MarketBeat Open presented by USTA Northern, with top seed Christopher Eubanks, No. 2 Mitchell Krueger and No. 3 Zachary Svajda headlining Stadium 1 action.

The trio are among a tournament-high 20 Americans in the 32-player $82,000 ATP Challenger Tour event, which is the first time a professional tennis tournament in South Dakota has been held as the Huether Family Match Pointe plays host on the Sanford Sports Complex.

On Monday’s opening day play, Americans compiled a 6-2 record with the only two losses coming in all-American matches. A pair of seeds reached the second round with No. 6 Patrick Kypson defeating last year’s NCAA champion Ethan Quinn 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-3, and No. 8 Brandon Holt cruising past Frenchman Enzo Couacaud 6-2, 6-2. Stefan Kozlov upset No. 5 Dmitry Popko of Kazakhstan 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-4 and joined three other Americans in the second round: Denis Kudla (d. Bor Artnak 6-2, 6-4), Ozan Baris (d. Alastair Gray 3-6, 6-4, 6-3) and wild card Colton Smith (d. Martin Damm 5-7, 7-6(3), 6-1).

There are seven Americans on Stadium 1 with an all-American match beginning Tuesday’s order of play with Aidan Mayo against wild card Matthew Forbes, who won the USTA Boys’ 18s national title in Kalamazoo, Mich. this summer to earn a US Open main draw WC.

In the second match on, qualifier Martin Borisiouk will take on Svajda, who reached a career-high No. 102 in August. In the third match on, Canadian Alexis Galarneau meets 17-year-old qualifier Cooper Woestendick, who is playing in his first Challenger main draw. Woestendick won the Australian Open junior doubles title in January.

In the final day session match, No. 4 seed Maks Kasnikowski of Poland plays wild card and former British No. 1 Kyle Edmund, who reached a career-high No. 14 in 2018.

In the evening session, the top two seeds play qualifiers as Eubanks takes on countryman Keegan Smith and Krueger meets Croat Borna Gojo, who reached the fourth round at last year’s US Open.

October 21, 2024

 Main Draw Gets Underway Monday at MarketBeat Open with 6 Matches
 No. 6 seed Kypson, No. 8 Holt, among Eight Americans in Action

SIOUX FALLS – Main draw first round action gets underway on Monday at the MarketBeat Open presented by USTA Northern, with No. 6 seed Patrick Kypson and No. 8 Brandon Holt among the eight Americans on the schedule.

This is the first time a professional tennis tournament in South Dakota has been held as the Huether Family Match Pointe plays host on the Sanford Sports Complex. Overall there are 17 Americans in the 32-player $82,000 ATP Challenger Tour event (not including qualifiers).

There are six main draw and six qualifying singles matches on the order of play. Qualifying play begins at 10 a.m. on Stadium 1 and Stadium 2.  In the first main draw match on Stadium 1, Holt takes on Frenchman Enzo Coucacaud for the first time. Holt is a two-time Challenger runner-up this season (Indian Wells-1, Tyler).  In the second match on, former World No. 53 Denis Kudla plays Bor Artnak of Slovenia. Kudla is a winner of nine career Challenger titles, the most of any player in the draw.

In the third main draw match on, Kypson and last year’s NCAA singles champion from the Univ. of Georgia, Ethan Quinn, square off. Kypson was the winner of last year’s USTA/Australian Open Wild Card Challenge, earning a main draw WC into the ’24 Australian Open.

On Stadium 2, the first main draw match (third-on) is an all-American battle between wild card Colton Smith and Martin Damm. Next on is Alastair Gray of Great Britain against American Ozan Baris and last on is Stefan Kozlov against No. 5 Dmitry Popko of Kazakhstan.

The tournament’s Top 3 seeds of Americans Christopher Eubanks, Mitchell Krueger and Zachary Svajda all play qualifiers in their first match on Tuesday.

Former Wimbledon Quarterfinalist Eubanks Leads 13 Americans in MarketBeat Open

ATP Challenger Tour Event to be held October 20-27

SIOUX FALLS – The entry list for the inaugural MarketBeat Open presented by USTA Northern is out and leading the 32-player field is last year’s Wimbledon quarterfinalist Christopher Eubanks, who has reached a career-high No. 29 in the ATP Rankings.

Eubanks is one of 13 Americans with direct entry into the $82,000 ATP Challenger Tour tournament. The first time men’s professional tennis event in South Dakota will be held October 20-27 as the Huether Family Match Pointe plays host on the Sanford Sports Complex.

Eubanks, 28, captured his first ATP Tour title in Mallorca, Spain in July 2023 and followed it with a quarterfinal run at Wimbledon where he beat No. 13-ranked Cameron Norrie in the second round and No. 5 Stefanos Tsitsipas in the fourth round before losing to No. 3 Daniil Medvedev in five sets. Eubanks was also on the U.S. Olympics tennis team in July.

“We are thrilled with the field we have coming, said tournament director and Match Pointe executive director Mark Vellek. “It's a really exciting mix of players who have been at the top of the game and players on their way up with very bright futures. This is a level of tennis that has never been played in this part of the country and is going to create a really special week for the community.”

Joining Eubanks among the top five entries are fellow Americans Zachary Svajda, 21, who reached a career-high ranking of No. 102 in August; Mitchell Krueger, who reached the second round at the US Open as a qualifier and is a winner of two Challenger titles this season.

Other notable American entries are Nishesh Basavareddy, 19, who has climbed over 250 ranking spots this season and is the fourth-youngest player in the Top 200 at No. 199; last year’s NCAA champion Ethan Quinn, former World No. 53 Denis Kudla; last year’s No. 1 collegiate player in the country from Univ. of Texas Eliot Spizzirri, who qualified for his first Grand Slam tournament at the US Open; and Brandon Holt, who is the son of former two-time US Open champion, former World No. 1 and Tennis Hall of Famer, Tracy Austin.

A pair of former World Top 20 players are also in the field with British wild card Kyle Edmund, who reached a career-high No. 14 in 2018 after advancing to the semifinals at the Australian Open earlier that year.

The MarketBeat Open will offer valuable ATP Ranking points for American players to earn for the upcoming Australian Open Wild Card Challenge. The men's wild card will be awarded to the American with the most ranking points earned from a maximum of three events during a four-week window that begins the week of October 21 and runs through the week of November 11. All indoor and outdoor hard-court tournaments at the M25 level and above, including ATP Tour and Challenger events, will be included in the Challenge.

The USTA and Tennis Australia have a reciprocal agreement in which main draw wild cards for the 2025 Australian Open and US Open will be exchanged.

Midco Sports will be televising the tournament throughout the week.

Tickets are now on sale and for more information, go to marketbeatopen.com.

Tournament Schedule

Sunday, October 20 – Singles Qualifying
Monday, October 21 – Singles Qualifying/Singles First Round
Tuesday, October 22 – Singles First Round/Doubles First Round
Wednesday, October 23 – Singles Round of 16/Doubles First Round
Thursday, October 24 – Singles Round of 16/Doubles Quarterfinals
Friday, October 25 – Singles Quarterfinals/Doubles Semifinals
Saturday, October 26 – Singles Semifinals/Doubles Championship
Sunday, October 27 – Singles Championship