SIOUX FALLS, October 27, 2024 (Press Release)
The first professional tennis singles championship in the state of South Dakota takes place on Sunday at the MarketBeat Open presented by USTA Northern as wild card Colton Smith of the University of Arizona takes on Croatian qualifier Borna Gojo.
On Saturday, Gojo advanced to his fifth career ATP Challenger Tour final (1-3), his first since April 2023 in Murcia, Spain, as he defeated 21-year-old Mark Lajal of Estonia 7-6(1), 6-4. Gojo hit 14 aces, saved all four break points faced and won 91% of first serve points.
“It was the best match I have played all week,” said the 26-year-old Croat, who missed seven months of action earlier this year due to a back injury. “I struggled in the last couple of matches, losing the first set and I was happy with my performance today.”
Gojo, who won his lone Challenger title in Ortisei, Italy nearly two years ago on Oct. 30, 2022, advanced to the fourth round at last year’s US Open as a qualifier (l. to Djokovic) and reached a career-high ranking of No. 72 last November. He came into Sioux Falls No. 422.
In the second semifinal, Smith defeated Murphy Cassone 6-2, 5-7, 7-5, to reach his first ATP Challenger Tour final. The 21-year-old Smith played his in-state college rival for the third time this year. He lost to Cassone in a duel match in Tucson in April before winning the last meeting in a third-set tie-break in the quarterfinals of the NCAA tournament in Stillwater, Okla. in May.
Smith, who rallied from a 2-5 third set deficit, came into Sioux Falls ranked No. 496 and he will crack the Top 400 around No. 390. If he wins the title, he will jump to around No. 332.
By reaching the final, he is guaranteed to be the first week leader in the USTA/Australian Open Wild Card Challenge. The American with the most points in three of the four-week series of events, will earn a main draw WC into the 2025 Australian Open.
In Saturday’s doubles championship, Canadian No. 3 seeds Liam Draxl and Cleeve Harper captured their second Challenger title together as they defeated American top seeds Ryan Seggerman and Patrik Trhac 7-6(1), 6-4.
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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.
For tickets and for more information, go to marketbeatopen.com.
