USC's Holt turns pro, forgoes extra year of eligibility

Despite having another year of eligibility due to the coronavirus-impacted 2020 season, Brandon Holt will turn pro. The University of Southern California standout announced his decision in an Instagram post earlier this week.

“I’m not sure what the ultimate deciding factor was,” Holt told Baseline. "It was a lot of things, but what kept me [at USC] was my teammates.”

Holt played No. 1 during his entire four year tenure at USC, which is currently the No. 1-ranked team in the country. He improved his ATP ranking to No. 456 in 2019, while competing for the Trojans the entire time.

“My teammates are the [No. 1] reason I was so happy at USC. The single biggest success looking back is coach Peter Smith recruiting good people,” Holt said on Instagram. “He recruited people I played tennis with for 4 years. But more importantly, he recruited a band of brothers who are and will continue to be my best friends.”

Holt is primed to make an immediate impact on the ATP Tour, whenever it returns. The 22-year-old combines his mother Tracy Austin’s pinpoint accuracy from the ground with extreme consistency.

He impressed at last week’s Home Court Advantage exhibition in Rolling Hills, Calif., ultimately falling to Sam Querrey in a deciding match tiebreak.