ATP Challenger Tour
The ATP Challenger Tour, known until the end of 2008 as the ATP Challenger Series, is a series of international men's professional tennis tournaments. The Challenger Tour events are the second highest tier of tennis competition, behind the ATP Tour. The Futures tournaments on the ITF Men's Circuit are the third and fourth tier of international professional tennis competition. The ATP Challenger Tour is administered by the Association of Tennis Professionals. Players who succeed on the ATP Challenger Tour earn sufficient ranking points to become eligible for main draw or qualifying draw entry at ATP Tour tournaments. Players on the Challenger Tour are usually young players looking to advance their careers, those who fail to qualify for ATP events, or former ATP players looking to get back into the big tour.
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History of challenger events
The first challenger events were held in 1978, with eighteen events taking place. Two were held on the week beginning January 8, one in Auckland and another in Hobart. The next events were held one at a time beginning June 18 and ending August 18 in the following U.S. locations, in order: Shreveport, Birmingham, Asheville, Raleigh, Hilton Head, Virginia Beach, Wall, Cape Cod, and Lancaster.
Events continued after a one-month hiatus with two begun September 24 and 25, one in Tinton Falls, New Jersey and in Lincoln, Nebraska respectively. The following week saw one event played, in Salt Lake City, then two played simultaneously in Tel Aviv and San Ramon, California, then one played the following week in Pasadena. A final event was played a month later in Kyoto. In comparison, the 2008 schedule saw 178 events played in more than 40 countries.
Present-day prize money and ranking points
Challenger tournaments offer total prize money ranging from $30,000 up to $168,000+, which, along with whether the tournament provides hospitality (food and lodging) to the players, determines the number of points a player gets for winning each match in the tournament.
Hospitality moves the points distribution up one level and the points to the overall winner range from 80 points for a $40,000 tournament to 125 points for a $220,000 tournament with hospitality. In contrast, the ATP-level tournaments offer total prize money from $400,000 to over $6 million and points to the overall winners from 250 to 1500.
As a point of reference, player rankings are based on points accumulated in the previous 52 weeks, and as of February 2016, a player who has earned 550 points in the last 52 weeks would be ranked just below the 100th position. 250 points would get him a ranking just below 200th, while with 100 points he would get to around 425th, and 50 points would put him just below 600th. So rankings points earned in Challengers can help a low-ranked player to move up in the rankings quickly.
Points are awarded as follows:[1]
Tournament Category | Singles | Doubles | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
W | F | SF | QF | R16 | R32 | R48 | Q | Q1 | W | F | SF | QF | R16 | |
Challenger 125 | 125 | 75 | 45 | 25 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 125 | 75 | 45 | 25 | 0 |
Challenger 110 | 110 | 65 | 40 | 20 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 110 | 65 | 40 | 20 | 0 |
Challenger 100 | 100 | 60 | 35 | 18 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 60 | 35 | 18 | 0 |
Challenger 90 | 90 | 55 | 33 | 17 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 90 | 55 | 33 | 17 | 0 |
Challenger 80 | 80 | 48 | 29 | 15 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 80 | 48 | 29 | 15 | 0 |
Player quality
Players have usually had success at the Futures tournaments of the ITF Men's Circuit before competing in Challengers. Due to the lower level of points and money available at the Challenger level, most players in a Challenger have a world ranking of 100 to 500 for a $35K tournament and 50 to 250 for a $150K tournament.
An exception happens during the second week of a Grand Slam tournament, when top-100 players who have already lost in the Slam try to take a wild card entry into a Challenger tournament beginning that second week.
Tretorn Serie+
In February 2007, Tretorn became the official ball of the Challenger Series, and the sponsor of a new series consisting of those Challenger tournaments with prize money of $100,000 or more. They renewed the sponsorship with the ATP in 2010 and extended it until the end of 2011.
Records
Most Singles Title
Lu Yen-hsun has won 29 ATP Challenger Tour titles.
Oldest Champions
Ivo Karlovic became the player who has won a challenger title at the oldest age, winning the 2018 Calgary National Bank Challenger at 39 years, 7 months. [2]
Player | Age | Title |
---|---|---|
Ivo Karlovic | 39 years, 7 months | Calgary 2018 |
Dick Norman | 38 years, 1 month | Mexico City 2009 |
Stéphane Robert | 37 years, 8 months | Burnie 2018 |
Bob Carmichael | 37 years, 6 months | Hobart 1978 |
Stéphane Robert | 37 years, 5 months | Kobe 2017 |
Víctor Estrella Burgos | 37 years | Santo Domingo 2017 |
List of events
Challenger 125 ($150,000+H / €127,000+H)
- Aberto de São Paulo (2001–2014)
- Abierto GNP Seguros
- AON Open Challenger
- Bengaluru Open
- Busan Open Challenger
- Città di Caltanissetta
- Ethias Trophy (2005–2016)
- Intersport Heilbronn Open (−2015)
- Irving Tennis Classic
- IsarOpen
- Kaohsiung OEC Open
- Kunming Open
- Moneta Czech Open
- Nature Valley Open
- Nur-Sultan Challenger
- Open d'Orléans
- Open du Pays d'Aix
- Oracle Challenger Series – Chicago
- Oracle Challenger Series – Houston
- Oracle Challenger Series – Indian Wells
- Oracle Challenger Series – Newport Beach
- Pekao Szczecin Open
- Santaizi Challenger
- Sparkassen Open
- Arizona Tennis Classic
Challenger 110 ($150,000 / €127,000 / $125,000+H / €106,000+H)
- Abierto de Puebla (2016)
- Brest Challenger
- BNP Paribas Primrose Bordeaux
- Fuzion 100 Ilkley Trophy
- Lisheng Sports Cup Jinan International Open
- Hua Hin Open Challenger (2015–2017)
- Israel Open (2015–2016)
- Kunming Challenger (2013)
- Santo Domingo Open presented by Milex
- Slovak Open
- Surbiton Trophy
- Yinzhou International Men's Tennis Challenger
Challenger 100 ($125,000 / $100,000+H / €106,000 / €85,000+H)
- CDMX Open
- China International Challenger Qingdao (2016–2017)
- Geneva Open (1992–2014)
- Hoff Open (2015–2016)
- Honggutan China International Challenger Nanchang (2014–2016)
- International Challenger Chengdu
- Internationaux de Tennis de Vendée
- Internazionali di Forlì
- Internazionali di Monza e Brianza (2005–2012)
- Open Castilla y León
- Open de Guadeloupe
- President's Cup
- RBC Tennis Championships of Dallas
- Sacramento Challenger (2005–2015)
- San Marino GO&FUN Open (2001–2014)
- Seoul Open Challenger
- Soweto Open (2009–2013)
- Srpska Open
- Wrocław Open (2015–2017)
Other tournaments
- Aberto de Brasília
- Aberto de Florianópolis
- Aberto de Tênis do Rio Grande do Sul
- Aberto do Paraná de Tênis
- Aberto Rio Preto
- Aberto Santa Catarina De Tenis
- Acqua Dolomia Tennis Cup
- Adriatic Challenger
- Advantage Cars Prague Open
- Aegon GB Pro-Series Bath
- Aegon GB Pro-Series Glasgow
- Aegon Manchester Trophy
- Aegon Nottingham Challenge
- Aegon Pro-Series Loughborough
- Aegon Trophy
- Agri Cup
- Alessandria Challenger
- All Japan Indoor Tennis Championships
- Almaty Challenger
- Almaty Cup
- American Express Istanbul Challenger
- Antalya Challenger
- Andria e Castel del Monte Challenger
- Apis Canberra International
- Aspria Tennis Cup
- Astana Challenger Capital Cup
- Astana Cup
- Atlantic Tire Championships
- ATP Challenger 2001 Team Padova
- ATP Challenger Corrientes
- ATP Challenger Pingguo
- ATP Challenger Tour Finals
- ATP Challenger Trophy
- ATP Roller Open
- ATP Salzburg Indoors
- Bangkok Open I
- Bangkok Open II
- Bangkok Open III
- Bangkok Open IV
- Båstad Challenger
- Batman Cup
- Bauer Watertechnology Cup
- Beijing International Challenger
- BFD Challenger
- BH Telecom Indoors
- BH Tennis Open International Cup
- Black Forest Open
- BMW Tennis Championship
- BRD Arad Challenger
- BRD Brașov Challenger
- BRD Timișoara Challenger
- Bucher Reisen Tennis Grand Prix
- Burnie International
- Cachantún Cup (ATP)
- Cairo Open
- Calgary National Bank Challenger
- Caloundra International
- Camparini Gioielli Cup
- Campeonato Internacional de Tênis de Campinas
- Campeonato Internacional de Tenis de Santos
- Campeonato Internacional de Tênis do Estado do Pará
- Capri Watch Cup
- Challenger ATP de Salinas Diario Expreso
- Challenger Banque Nationale de Drummondville
- Challenger Banque Nationale de Gatineau
- Challenger Banque Nationale de Granby
- Challenger Britania Zavaleta
- Challenger Ciudad de Guayaquil
- Challenger en Los Andes – Quito
- Challenger La Manche
- Challenger of Santa Clarita
- Charles Sturt Adelaide International
- Charlottesville Men's Pro Challenger
- Chennai Open
- China International Suzhou
- Citta' di Vercelli - Trofeo Multimed
- City of Onkaparinga Tennis Challenger
- City of Playford Tennis International
- Claro Open Barranquilla
- Claro Open Cali
- Claro Open Floridablanca
- Claro Open Medellín
- Columbus Challenger
- Concurso Internacional de Tenis – San Sebastián
- Concurso Internacional de Tenis – Vigo
- Copa Agco Cordoba
- Copa Ciudad de Tigre
- Copa Gobierno de Córdoba
- Copa Internacional de Tenis Total Digest
- Copa Petrobras Santiago
- Copa San Cristóbal
- Copa San Juan Gobierno
- Copa Sevilla
- Delhi Open
- Dunlop World Challenge
- East Hotel Canberra Challenger
- Emami Kolkata Open
- Eskişehir Cup
- Fergana Challenger
- Forest Hills Clay Court Classic
- Franken Challenge
- GDD CUP International Challenger Guangzhou
- Gimcheon Challenger
- Guimarães Open
- Guzzini Challenger
- Gwangju Challenger
- Hong Kong ATP Challenger
- Hungarian Challenger Open
- Hyogo Noah Challenger
- Indore Open ATP Challenger
- International Challenger Quanzhou
- International Challenger Zhangjiagang
- Internationaux de Nouvelle-Calédonie
- Internationaux de Tennis de Blois
- Internazionali Città di Brescia
- Internazionali di Manerbio – Trofeo Dimmidisì
- Internazionali di Tennis Città di Perugia
- Internazionali di Tennis Città di Vicenza
- Internazionali di Tennis d'Abruzzo
- Internazionali di Tennis dell'Umbria
- Internazionali di Tennis di Bergamo
- Internazionali di Tennis di Cortina
- IPP Open
- IS Open São Paulo
- Isla de Gran Canaria - Ciudad de Telde
- İzmir Cup
- Jalisco Open
- JSM Challenger of Champaign–Urbana
- Karshi Challenger
- Kazan Kremlin Cup
- Kazan Summer Cup
- Keio Challenger
- Kentucky Bank Tennis Championships
- Knoxville Challenger
- Koblenz Open
- Košice Open
- KPIT MSLTA Challenger
- Kunal Patel SF Open
- Las Vegas Tennis Open
- Latrobe City Traralgon Challenger
- Launceston Tennis International
- Lermontov Cup
- Levene Gouldin & Thompson Tennis Challenger
- Lima Challenger
- Lisboa Belém Open
- Manulife Singapore ATP Challenger
- Marbella Open
- Marburg Open
- MasterCard Tennis Cup
- Melbourne Challenger
- Mersin Cup
- Milo Open Bogotá
- Milo Open Cali
- Mordovia Cup
- Morelos Open
- Morocco Tennis Tour – Casablanca
- Morocco Tennis Tour – Casablanca II
- Morocco Tennis Tour – Kenitra
- Morocco Tennis Tour – Marrakech
- Morocco Tennis Tour – Meknes
- Morocco Tennis Tour – Mohammedia
- Morocco Tennis Tour – Rabat
- Morocco Tennis Tour – Tanger
- Movistar Open
- Napa Valley Challenger
- Naples ITG Challenger
- Nature's Way Sydney Tennis International
- Neckarcup
- Nielsen Pro Tennis Championships
- Nordic Naturals Challenger
- NorthBay Healthcare Men's Pro Championships
- Oberstaufen Cup
- Odlum Brown Vancouver Open
- Open BNP Paribas Banque de Bretagne
- Open Citta' della Disfida
- Open de la Réunion
- Open de Rennes
- Open Diputación Ciudad de Pozoblanco
- Open Harmonie mutuelle
- Open Sopra Steria de Lyon
- Open Tarragona Costa Daurada
- Penza Cup
- Peugeot Tennis Cup
- Philippine Open ATP Manila Challenger
- Pingshan Open
- Poprad-Tatry Challenger
- Potchefstroom Open
- Poznań Open
- Prosperita Open
- PTT İstanbul Cup
- Punta Open
- Racket Club Open
- Rai Open
- RC Hotel Open
- Rijeka Open
- Rio Quente Resorts Tennis Classic
- Rio Tennis Classic
- Riviera di Rimini Challenger
- Road to the Shanghai Rolex Masters
- Rome Garden Open
- s Tennis Masters Challenger
- Samarkand Challenger
- Samsung Securities Cup
- San Benedetto Tennis Cup
- San Luis Open Challenger Tour
- Sanremo Tennis Cup
- São Léo Open
- São Paulo Challenger de Tênis
- Sarasota Open
- Savannah Challenger
- SDA Tennis Open
- Seguros Bolívar Open Pereira
- Shenzhen Longhua Open
- Shriram Capital P.L. Reddy Memorial Challenger
- Shymkent Challenger
- Siberia Cup
- Sibiu Open
- Sicilia Classic
- Slovenia Open
- Sparkasse Challenger Val Gardena Südtirol
- Sparta Prague Open
- Sporting Challenger
- Status Athens Open
- Stockton Challenger
- STRABAG Challenger Open
- Svijany Open
- TAC Cup China International Nanjing Challenger
- Tallahassee Tennis Challenger
- Tampere Open
- The Tarka Challenger
- Taroii Open de Tênis
- Tashkent Challenger
- TEAN International
- Tempe Challenger
- Tennis Championships of Maui
- Tennislife Cup
- Tetra Pak Tennis Cup
- The Hague Open
- Thindown Challenger Biella
- Tianjin Health Industry Park
- Tiburon Challenger
- Togliatti Cup
- Torino Challenger
- Torneo Città di Como
- Torneo Internacional Challenger León
- Torneo de Mendoza
- Torneo Omnia Tenis Ciudad Madrid
- Trani Cup
- Tretorn SERIE+ tournaments
- Trofeo Paolo Corazzi
- Trofeo Ricardo Delgado Aray
- Trofeo Stefano Bellaveglia
- Trophée des Alpilles
- Tunis Open
- Uruguay Open
- USTA LA Tennis Open
- UTC Open by Selena
- Venice Challenge Save Cup
- Verrazzano Open
- Vietnam Open
- Visit Panamá Cup de Chitré
- Visit Panamá Tennis Cup
- Vivo Tennis Cup
- Voit Mexico City Open
- Volkswagen Challenger
- Winnipeg National Bank Challenger
- Wolffkran Open
- Wuhai Challenger
- Yeongwol Challenger Tennis
- Yugra Cup
- Zagreb Open
- Zhuhai Open
See also
References
- "Rankings - FAQ - ATP Tour - Tennis". ATP Tour.
- Meiseles, Josh. "Karlovic Becomes Oldest Challenger Champion". ATP World Tour. ATP World Tour. Retrieved 22 October 2018.