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Virginia men’s tennis players Dylan Dietrich and Andres Santamarta Roig claimed professional singles titles on the same Sunday, roughly 1,100 miles apart. Dietrich captured his second ATP Challenger title in four weeks in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, while Santamarta Roig secured an ITF M25 title in Las Vegas.
Dietrich’s Breakthrough in Sioux Falls
Fourth-year player Dylan Dietrich won the MarketBeat Open, a Challenger 100 event in Sioux Falls, S.D., marking his second career Challenger title. Along the way, he earned his first career win over a top-100 player by defeating top seed Jenson Brooksby, ranked No. 94, with a score of 6-3, 6-3 in the second round, as reported by sports.yahoo.com. Dietrich did not drop a set until the final, where 5-seed Liam Draxl took the first set before Dietrich fought back to win 6-1, 6-3, 6-4. Following this victory, Dietrich rose to No. 185 in the ATP live rankings, entering the top 200 for the first time.
Dietrich noted that pro tennis was not originally part of his immediate post-school plans, as he had intended to work in New York. However, a conversation with his coach last fall changed his trajectory. He attributes his rapid rise not to a new shot, but to increased maturity, better movement, physical training, and a calmer approach on the court.
Dietrich has confirmed that he will return to Virginia for one final year to maximize his development. He stated that his improvement has been so significant that he wants to squeeze everything possible out of his remaining time with the team.
Santamarta Roig’s Run in Las Vegas
Second-year player Andres Santamarta Roig triumphed at the Dragonbridge Open, an M25 event on the ITF World Tennis Tour in Las Vegas. He began the tournament by defeating top seed Max Wiskandt 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 and overcame deficits after dropping the first set in four of his five matches, ultimately beating Jerry Roddick 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 in the final.
This tournament victory crowns a strong fall season that already earned Santamarta Roig qualification for the NCAA Individual Championships in both singles and doubles. His sophomore leap has been fueled by noticeable improvements to his serve and backhand.
Upcoming Charlottesville Challenger and Next Steps
Both title winners have returned to Charlottesville for the Challenger tournament at the Boar’s Head Sports Club. In opening action, top recruit Jack Kennedy defeated Hynek Barton, while Dietrich and Santamarta Roig prepared for matches against top-seeded opponents on Tuesday.
The NCAA Individual Championships are scheduled for November 17-22 in Athens, Georgia, with Santamarta Roig and several teammates set to compete. Dietrich, meanwhile, will skip the Athens event as he focuses entirely on his professional momentum and his final college season.
