CATCH ATP TOUR'S HOTTEST DOUBLES PAIRING SEGGERMAN-TRHAC
AT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA OPEN
PRO TENNIS | USTA SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
AT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA OPEN
JANUARY 13, 2024 | STEVE PRATT
CATCH ATP TOUR'S HOTTEST DOUBLES PAIRING SEGGERMAN-TRHAC AT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA OPEN
USTA SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
JANUARY 13, 2024
STEVE PRATT
Ryan Seggerman and Patrik Trhac won doubles during the first week of the Southern California Open in Indian Wells.
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The numbers are simply staggering – a won-loss record and winning streak that would even make the Bryan Brothers envious.
Over a four-month span that lasted from the start of July to mid-November, the doubles pairing of Coronado’s Ryan Seggerman and Rancho Bernardo’s Patrik Trhac dominated the ITF Pro Circuit going on an unprecedented and improbable run capturing 10 titles over 12 tournaments and posting a 41-2 record.
And to think it all began at the first of two Lakewood $15K SoCal Pro Series tournaments on July 4th weekend. The streak continued with four more wins in Southaven, Miss., for a $25K title and then it was off to Africa and 16 more wins without tasting defeat in Monastir, Tunisia, with four more trophies at three $15K events and a $25K to bring the streak to 28-0.
Finally, a 10-7 third-set loss in the first round at the Charleston Challenger 75 brought the duo back to earth. And a new streak began with four wins and a title in Zapopan, Mexico ($25K) and then down to Australia for their first ATP Challenger 75 wins at tourneys in Playford and Sydney. A quarterfinal loss at the Calgary Challenger 75 ended the amazing run and year for Seggerman and Trhac.
In total there were more than 45,000 miles traveled over three continents, three suitcases of tennis gear lost and then recovered and dozens and dozens of nights lying in bed smiling and knowing they were having the time of their lives.
The story of how these two found each other and have made this doubles marriage work is as remarkable as their 41-2 2023 record.
Back in May after Seggerman had led the University of North Carolina to a win over Trhac’s Utah Utes, Patrik approached Ryan after the match and said, “Hey, we’re both from San Diego, we should try and team up and play some doubles this summer.”
The 24-year-old Seggerman, who had spent the previous four years at Princeton, said sure, but knew the two had a kind of rocky history.
“Growing up we weren’t friends at all,” said Seggerman of Trhac, who turned 25 in October. “I was actually kind of surprised when he asked me. I didn’t think we were cool like that.”
As juniors playing in the 10s and 12s, Seggerman said Trhac was always a lot taller than him, but he never lost to Trhac. “I hadn’t grown yet, and I used to moon-ball him and he hated it,” Seggerman said. “I think that was the main crux of it. It rubbed him the wrong way and he didn’t respect me. It’s amazing how life kind of hits you full circle and we have now formed this great friendship over those 13, 14 weeks.”
Trhac said he essentially quit tournament tennis shortly after and did not play from the age of 13 to 17. “I was still practicing, but I got into basketball and just doing other things,” he said.
Trhac, whose parents are Slovakian and immigrants from Czechoslovakia, returned to play high school tennis his senior season at Del Norte High and won the CIF-San Diego section singles and doubles titles.
Trhac played one year at Palomar College and was a 2018 Pacific Coast Conference finalist in both singles and doubles. Following a redshirt sophomore year, he transferred to Idaho State before entering the transfer portal and fulfilling a lifelong dream of playing for a Pac-12 school at Utah his senior year and helping the Utes to a share of the Pac-12 regular season title and a loss in the conference championship match against USC at The Ojai.
As he entered his first year on tour, Trhac knew it would only be in doubles while Seggerman is still focused on playing singles, as well.
“For me I didn’t feel physically exhausted, it was more mental. Just all the travel and being away for so long,” Trhac said. “It definitely was crazy and we didn’t really know what to expect.”
He added: “If you would have told us we would have had that kind of success we wouldn’t have believed it. We’ve grown a lot as a team. I had no idea it was going to turn out this way.”
There were lost bags by the airlines in Australia and Tunisia and times when both players showed up to the courts with just backpacks and rackets they had carried on.
“Luckily we met some nice people in Tunisia who gave us their shoes,” Trhac said. “I had to borrow a hair tie and some girl had an oversized ASICS shirt I turned inside out. We went out there and the chair umpire just started laughing at us.”
“Our first match in Tunisia we wore board shorts and looked like a couple of bums,” added Seggerman.
Team Seggerman-Trhac are now set for new adventures in 2024, and it all begins over the next two weeks with two ATP Challengers at the Southern California Open they will happily drive 125 miles to northeast in Indian Wells.
“I’m very excited and it will be my first time playing there,” Trhac said.
With a current doubles ranking around No. 220 in the world, Seggerman said the pair have dreams of someday entering the top 75 and earning their way into Grand Slams, and the BNP Paribas Open. A wild card into the March event is a real possibility.
“I grew up playing the Easter Bowl at the Tennis Garden,” Seggerman said. “It is one of the premier centers in not only the country but the world.”
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To learn more about the Southern California Open, visit southerncaliforniaopen.com.