CLAREMONT, September 17, 2018

Former college rivals and now friends Brandon Holt and Marty Redlicki warmed each other up before the USC junior Holt came back for a 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 win over last year’s finalist and former UCLA Bruin Redlicki at the Claremont Club Pro Classic on Sunday.

“Marty’s not playing for the Bruins anymore, so I feel like can and have become good friends,” Holt addressed the crowd after winning his first professional tournament victory which earned him $2,160 and 18 ATP World Tour ranking points. “He’s such a great player and I know he’s going to get some good results out on the pro tour.”

The USTA Pro Circuit Futures tournament was played at the Claremont Club 35 miles east of Los Angeles and is a $15,000-level event.

Holt said he got sick later in the afternoon Saturday and did not sleep well the night before the final. “I started to feel it yesterday and it hit me harder today,” said Holt, his voice scratchy and coughing. “That first set I just felt kind of out a gas, which is kind of a bummer because when you play someone like Marty he’s just always on you point and point and just ripping it side to side. So you really need your legs and your lungs.”

Holt said he began to pick up his play during the second set when he looked up and saw his father Scott Holt, grandparents and his aunt and uncle, as well as his college coach Peter Smith, Trojan assistant Kris Kwinta and other teammates cheering him on. “That gave me a little bit of energy,” he said.

Redlicki got a big break of serve in the fifth game of the first set and kept Holt off-pace to capture the first set 6-3. “That’s tennis and you’re not going to play your best every single day,” said Redlicki, who lost to his former Bruin teammate Karue Sell in last year’s singles final. “Being in the final before definitely could have helped me to my fast start, and Brandon could have had a few more nerves. Again, it’s tennis and there’s always next week.”

Holt became the first player with USC ties to win at Claremont since Steve Johnson (2011) and Gary Sacks (2010) won back-to-back years.

Holt had lost three straight matches at No. 1 singles to Redlicki this past college season.

“Give all the credit to Brandon, but I just felt like I made mistake after mistake after mistake,” said Redlicki, who will play this week at the Laguna Niguel Futures

During the awards ceremony, tournament host and Claremont Club Director of Tennis Barry Friedman announced this would be the final year of the popular pro event after 23 years because of a change in the USTA Pro Circuit schedule. He said there is a possibility that a similar women’s event could may take place in March.

Sunday’s Final Singles Score

Brandon Holt (US) def. Martin Redlicki (US) [3], 3-6, 6-3, 6-2

Claremont Past Champions

Singles

Year    Winner                                    Runner-Up

2017    Karue Sell                               Martin Redlicki

2016    Sebastian Fanselow               Evan Zhu

2015    Deiton Baughman                   Mackie McDonald

2014    Dennis Nevolo                        Salvatore Caruso (ITA)

2013    Marcos Giron (USA)               Dennis Novikov (USA)

2012    Daniel Kosakowski (USA)      Prakash Amritraj (IND)

2011    Steve Johnson (USA)             Darian King (BAR)

2010    Gary Sacks (RSA)                  Devin Britton (USA)

2009    Matej Bocko (SVK)                 Bradley Klahn (USA)

2008    Tigran Martirosyan (ARM)      Adriano Biasella (ITA)

2007    Carsten Ball (AUS)                 Robert Yim (USA)

2006    Dudi Sela (ISR)                       Sascha Kloer (GER)

2005    Benedikt Dorsch (GER)          Tyler Cleveland (USA)

2004    Bobby Reynolds (USA)          Huntley Montgomery (USA)

2003    Glenn Weiner (USA)               Jimy Szmymanski (VEN)

2002    Dmitry Tursunov (RUS)          Raven Klaasen (RSA)

2001    Marq Foster (USA)                 Huntley Montgomery (USA)

2000    Geoff Abrams (USA)              Daniel Andersson (SWE)

1999    Ryan Wolters (USA)               Jordan Kerr (AUS)

1998    Ville Liukko (FIN)                    Michael Mather (USA)

1997    Ofer Sela (ISR)                       Daniele Bracciali (ITA)

1996    Glenn Weiner (USA)               Cecil Mamiit (PHI)

Doubles

Year     Winner

2018    Robert Kelly (USA) – Korey Lovett (USA)

2017    Deiton Baughman (USA) – Karue Sell (Brazil)

2016    Alexios Halebian (USA) – Luis Patino (Mexico)

2015    Jean-Yves Aubone (USA) – Gonzales Austin (USA)

2014    Jeff Dadamo (USA) – Dennis Nevolo (USA)

2013    Carsten Ball (AUS) – Daniel Garza (MEX)

2012    Devon Britton (USA) – Reid Carleton (USA)

2011    Alexandre Lacroix (FRA) – Sanam Singh (IND)

2010    Taylor Fogleman (USA) – Chris Kearney (USA)

2009    Brett Joelson (USA) – Ashwin Kumar (USA)

2008    Marcus Fugate (USA) – Nima Roshan (AUS)

2007    Nikita Kryvonos (USA) – Michael McClune (USA)

2006    Ryler DeHeart (USA) – Dennis Zivkovic (USA)

2005    K.C. Corkery (USA) – James Pade (USA)

2004    Nick Rainey (USA) – Brian Wilson (USA)

2003    K.C. Corkery (USA) – James Pade (USA)

2002    Chris Magyary (USA) – Mirko Pehar (USA)

2001    Sebastien Jaeger (GER) – Alexander Waske (GER)

2000    Levar Harper-Griffith (USA) – Robert Kendrick (USA)

1999    Mark Loughrin (USA) – Ryan Wolters (USA)

1998    Simon Larose (CAN) – Jocelyn Robichaud (CAN)

1997    Lars Hjarrand (NOR) – Ross Loel (USA)

1996    Sascha Bandermann (GER) – Glenn Weiner (USA)