USC Tennis Players Competed in Newport Beach
Three USC women's tennis players participated in the UTR Pro Fall Slam held in Newport Beach.
Updated on Sept. 23, 2026 in Tennis
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Three USC tennis players recently participated in the UTR Pro Fall Slam tournament in Newport Beach. Simone Kay, Lily Fairclough, and Kiara Zabkova competed across both round-robin and single-elimination brackets.
Why it matters
The tournament provided high-level competitive experience for the USC team members during the off-season. Fairclough played two matches on Friday to navigate scheduling delays caused by equipment issues.
The tournament featured a 20-player draw with ratings such as Lily Fairclough at 10.15 and Kiara Zabkova at 9.98. The maximum professional player rating in the system is 16.50.
The players
Simone Kay
She is a member of the USC women's tennis team who finished round-robin play undefeated.
Lily Fairclough
She represents the USC women's tennis program and maintains a professional player rating of 10.15.
Kiara Zabkova
She is a tennis athlete for USC who competed in the Newport Beach tournament draw.
Kailey Evans
She is a tennis player with a 10.80 rating who defeated Simone Kay in the knockout round.
Katja Wiersholm
She is a competitor who defeated Lily Fairclough during the single-elimination playoff stage.
The details
Simone Kay and Lily Fairclough went undefeated in round-robin play, while Kiara Zabkova secured one win. In the knockout stage, Kay fell to Kailey Evans and Fairclough lost to Katja Wiersholm, with Zabkova withdrawing from a semifinal match in the 13-16 playoff draw.
Timeline
Sept. 7 to 13: Lily Fairclough competed in a UTR PTT playoff.
Sept. 14 to 20: USC players competed in the UTR Pro Fall Slam.
Oct. 1 to 4: The USC team will compete in the Battle in the Bay.
Late November: The tour season-ending championship is scheduled.
Season Trajectory
This performance helps set the competitive baseline for USC players as they prepare for the Battle in the Bay. The results influence individual standing metrics within the UTR system ahead of the season-ending championship in November.
Fairclough and Kay demonstrated high parity in round-robin play, though both were eliminated by higher-rated opponents in the knockout stages. These tournament results serve as a progress indicator for USC players heading into their next scheduled team event in San Francisco.
The takeaway
Participation in tournament circuits allows collegiate athletes to maintain match readiness against varied professional-rated opponents. Implementing consistent play during off-season events remains critical for athletes looking to improve their standing before major team tournaments.
What happens next
The USC team is scheduled to compete in the Battle in the Bay from Oct. 1 to 4, followed by the tour's season-ending championship in late November.
Further reading
For more information on the current season, visit the Tennis section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Daily Trojan.
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