Brandon Holt – son of Tracy Austin – qualifies for main draw for first time at a slam

Growing up as the child of a famous parent, in the same sport, is not an easy thing to do but Brandon Holt is making a pretty good job of it.

The 24-year-old, a stand-out player at US college, qualified for a Grand Slam for the first time on Friday, beating Dimitar Kuzmanov 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, much to the delight of his proud mum, the former world No 1 and twice the US Open champion, Tracy Austin.

“It’s so much different watching him play than playing myself” Tracy Austin said to the New-York Times. “I’m just so nervous, now. I’m frazzled. Six hours. That’s a long time to be nervous.”

Six hours. That’s a long time to be nervous.

Tracy Austin to the New-York Times

Not only is it his first time in the main draw of a slam, it’s the first time in the main draw of any ATP event, having attempted to qualify for the main draw in Indian Wells and Newport.

Derailed by a rare hand injury, he started the year ranked No 830 but after winning five ITF Futures titles, he is now ranked 296 and his reward for reaching the main draw is a first-round match against No 10 seed Taylor Fritz.

And for those of you wondering why he’s called Holt and not Austin, former world No 1 Austin married Scott Holt in 1993.

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