Sport
Dylan Dietrich Wins Sioux Falls Challenger TitleDylan Dietrich Wins Sioux Falls Challenger Title

Dylan Dietrich Wins Sioux Falls Challenger Title

Dylan Dietrich won his second straight ATP Challenger title on Sunday in South Dakota

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. –  Virginia fourth-year Dylan Dietrich is playing in the MarketBeat Open, an ATP Challenger 100-level tournament being held Oct. 29-Nov. 1 in Sioux Falls, S.D. 

Dietrich picked up his first career win against an ATP top-100 player, defeating No. 94 Jenson Brooksby 6-3, 6-3 in the second round. Brooksby was the tournament's top seed. Dietrich opened with a straight-set win against No. 218 Colton Smith.

Dietrich topped No. 210 JJ Wolf in straight sets in the quarterfinals. He topped Aidan Mayo 6-4, 6-2 on Saturday in the semifinals.

In Sunday's final, Dietrich dropped the first set 6-1 against the 5-seed Liam Draxl, but stormed back with 6-3, 6-4 victories in the second and third sets to secure the victory.

Dietrich has made the semifinals in his last three Challenger appearances and is 33-7 in pro-level matches since June 1. He is on a 10-match win streak heading into this week's Charlottesville Challenger.

Dietrich said in a post-match interview on Friday that, short of winning the Australian Open men's singles title in Melbourne in January, he will be returning to Charlottesville to defend the Cavaliers NCAA team title.
 
"There's just no world now (that I don't come back)," said the 22-year-old from Switzerland, who clinched that title for Virginia in May. "Many people now, especially back home, are telling me 'why wouldn't you go pro, why wouldn't you use this momentum?' But if you think about it, from where I started at UVA, how much I've improved, how much I've matured, I should be looking at it almost the other way. I've improved so much, let's squeeze everything possible out this last year, out of the coaches, out of Igdar, our fitness coach, out of Rosalind, our athletic trainer, because they certainly helped me come here and play in the semis of this 100 Challenger. So I'm looking at it that way, that I'm trying to make the best out of this last year, learn as much as possible and have a good time with the guys as well. It is truly a special time."

Sioux Falls
R32 #254 Dylan Dietrich def. #218 Colton Smith 6-3, 7-5
R16 #254 Dylan Dietrich def. (1) #99 Jenson Brooksby
QF #254 Dylan Dietrich def #210 JJ Wolf 6-2, 7-5
SF #254 Dylan Dietrich def #336 Aidan Mayo 6-4, 6-2
F #254 Dylan Dietrich def. (5) #194 Liam Draxl 1-6, 6-3, 6-4