Brandon Holt Reaches Final At Blizzard Wild Card Challenge

USC junior Brandon Holt served up string of straight-set victories and a tight semifinal win to move into today's title match at the Blizzard Wild Card Challenge, where the Trojan would take a loss to TCU's Alex Rybakov.

Holt had stormed through the Blizzard Challenge, eager to get in position to grab a wild card into the main draw of the coming Orlando ATP 80 Challenger. He'd post a powerful run through round robin action, taking down Alafia Ayeni of Cornell UCLA's Keegan Smith and John McNally of Ohio State all in straight sets. That pushed the Trojan into the semifinals, where he faced Florida's Sam Riffice. The semifinal was an all-out battle as each player snagged a set apiece before the third stretched into a tense tiebreaker. Holt would prevail, fighting off Riffice to notch a 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (9) win that launched him into the final. There, he'd square off with TCU's 14th-ranked Alex Rybakov, who got an early leg up in the title match and stayed the course to beat Holt 6-2, 6-1.

Also in action at the event was USC senior Tanner Smith, who had Rybakov and Riffice in his group along with Georgia's Emil Reinberg. Smith topped the 15th-ranked Reinberg in a 6-3, 4-6, 1-0 (10-6) win, but took losses to Rybakov and Riffice. That moved Smith into a consolation bout with McNally, and the Trojan would wrap his trip in victory, posting a 6-4, 6-3 win that puts the finishing touches on fall collegiate competition.

2018 USTA Blizzard Wild Card Challenge (Orlando, Fla.)

ROUND ROBIN - Group 1
#34 Tanner Smith (USC) def. #15 Emil Reinberg (UGA) - 6-3, 4-6, 1-0 (10-6)
#14 Alex Rybakov (TCU) def. #34 Tanner Smith (USC) - 7-5, 6-2
#85 Sam Riffice (FLA) def. #34 Tanner Smith (USC) - 7-5, 6-2

ROUND ROBIN - Group 2
Brandon Holt (USC) def. Alafia Ayeni (CORN) - 6-4, 6-2
Brandon Holt (USC) def. Keegan Smith (UCLA) - 6-3, 6-4
Brandon Holt (USC) def. #36 John McNally (OHST) - 6-3, 6-3

SEMIFINAL
Brandon Holt (USC) def. #85 Sam Riffice (FLA) - 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (9)

CHAMPIONSHIP
#14 Alex Rybakov (TCU) def. Brandon Holt (USC) - 6-2, 6-1

CONSOLATION
#34 Tanner Smith (USC) def. #36 John McNally (OHST) - 6-4, 6-3

Players Mentioned

Brandon Holt

Tanner Smith