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On Tuesday night, Andres Martin pulled off the biggest win of his career by stunning Thanasi Kokkinakis, 6-3, 6-2, in the first round of the Atlanta Open. Martin, a two-time UTR Pro Tennis Tour (PTT) champion, will play Adrian Mannarino on Thursday.
Tuesday was the ATP 250’s college night which showcases college tennis as a pathway to the professional ranks.
From College to the Big Stage
Andres Martin (UTR Rating 13.87) is a redshirt sophomore at Georgia Tech, where he plays primarily at the No. 1 singles and doubles position. He finished the 2022 college season ranked No. 37 in the ITA Rankings and he’s the third Yellow Jacket to receive a wild card into the Atlanta Open along with Christopher Eubanks and Kevin King.
Ranked No. 736 on the ATP Tour, Martin is competing in his first ATP-level event, but it’s not the 21-year-old’s first time playing pro tennis.
Getting His Pro Start on the PTT
Martin first competed on the PTT in summer 2021, making his debut at the Bradenton PTT $25K in June. He’d win the PTT event the following week, also in Bradenton, for his first-ever pro crown. He added his second PTT title in July back home in Atlanta at Georgia Gwinnett College.
Martin kicked off the 2022 season by winning a Battle of Boca check at the Rick Macci Academy, which is a Universal Tennis event that offers $10,000 in prize money.
This summer following his second season for Georgia Tech, Martin has played two ITF Tour events, reaching the final of his first M25 this June and the semifinals of his second earlier this month.
Martin wasn’t the only college player to pick up a win in Atlanta on Tuesday, as reigning NCAA champion Ben Shelton, also a wild card entry, beat qualifier Ramkumar Ramanathan, 6-2, 7-5 in his ATP debut. Like Martin, Shelton has played on the PTT, reaching the final in Brandenton in June 2021.
About the UTR Pro Tennis Tour
The PTT is open to players with a UTR Ranking of 200-2000, and wild cards can be awarded to those players with a UTR Ranking of 1-199 or above 2000. Every PTT event creates matchplay opportunities for up-and-coming, collegiate, and pro players thanks to a unique round-robin format. At every event, a group round-robin stage is followed by a World Cup-style playoff, guaranteeing multiple matches and counting all results towards the UTR Rating, the most accurate rating system in tennis. Every PTT event offers 4-5 matches and a minimum of $20,000 in prize money with an earnings guarantee for every participant.
For more information about UTR PTT and to see all of the results, click here.
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