Bengaluru Open: Brandon Holt, Son of Tennis Legend, Wins Title Against Shintaro Mochizuki
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Synopsis
Brandon Holt, the son of tennis legend Tracy Austin, won his second ATP Challenger singles title at the Bengaluru Open, defeating Shintaro Mochizuki 6-3, 6-3. This victory marks Holt as the first American champion in the tournament's history.
Key Takeaways
- Brandon Holt claimed his second ATP Challenger title.
- Holt is the first American to win at the Bengaluru Open.
- The tournament is organized by the Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association.
- Holt’s victory came after a solid performance against Mochizuki.
- He earned $28,400 and 125 ATP points for his win.
Bengaluru, March 2 (NationPress) - American tennis star Brandon Holt secured his second ATP Challenger singles title of the season with a convincing 6-3 6-3 victory over Japan's Shintaro Mochizuki in the final of the 2025 Bengaluru Open, marking the tournament's ninth edition, on Sunday. This win also made the 26-year-old the first American champion in the history of the Bengaluru Open.
Hosted by the Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association (KSLTA), the Bengaluru Open is recognized as an ATP Challenger 125 event, distinguished as India’s premier international tennis competition.
Beginning the match in front of a packed stadium at the KSLTA Tennis Stadium, third seed Holt, the son of Tennis Hall of Famer Tracy Austin, overcame two break points in the opening game before taking advantage of Mochizuki's unforced errors to secure an early break. Showing off his powerful serves, Holt quickly established a 3-0 lead. He broke Mochizuki again in the sixth game, turning a 0-30 situation into a 5-1 advantage.
Mochizuki found his groove late in the first set, breaking Holt in game seven without losing a point, then holding serve with a series of impressive winners. Holt, who had previously triumphed at the Nonthaburi Challenger earlier this year, countered Mochizuki's baseline strategy by charging the net to create two set points, ultimately sealing the first set 6-3. Indian tennis legends Prajnesh Gunneswaran, Somdev Devvarman, and Vishnu Vardhan provided insights from the commentary box as the first set concluded after 36 minutes.
The second set mirrored the first, with Holt breaking Mochizuki twice while successfully holding serve to race to a 3-0 lead. Energized by the crowd's unwavering support, Mochizuki made a comeback, converting one of three break points in game four before holding serve in the next game.
As the set progressed, rallies became longer, thrilling the delighted crowd, which erupted when Mochizuki executed a spectacular forehand cross-court winner in the eighth game. Nevertheless, Holt maintained his composure, thwarting Mochizuki's momentum and setting himself up for victory. Holt broke Mochizuki again in the ninth game, clinching the win in one hour and 22 minutes.
With this dominant performance, Holt earned a cash prize of USD 28,400 and 125 ATP points, while Mochizuki received USD 16,700 and 75 points.
In the doubles final the previous day, top seeds Anirudh Chandrasekar and Ray Ho triumphed over second seeds Blake Bayldon and Matthew Christopher Romios with a score of 6-2, 6-4.
