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. It was founded in 1976 as a replacement for the ILTF Satellite Circuit (founded in 1971) as the second tier of tennis. The Challenger Tour events are the second-highest tier of tennis competition, behind the ATP Tour and ahead of the Men's World Tennis Tour tournaments. The ATP Challenger Tour is administered by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP). Players who succeed on the ATP Challenger Tour earn sufficient ranking points to enter the main or qualifying draws at ATP Tour tournaments. Players on the Challenger Tour are typically young players looking to advance their careers, those who fail to qualify for ATP events, or former ATP Tour players looking to return to the top tour.
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 that begun on 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.
Partnerships with ITA and World Tennis In efforts to further the progression of college and junior players into the professional tour, the ATP Challenger Tour has partnered with the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) and World Tennis to give players more opportunities on the professional tour. Those that finish in the top 10 of the end-of-year college rankings are now eligible for six wild cards into the main draw of Challenger events, and if they have finished their college education, they receive 8 of those wild cards. Those that finish in the 11 through 20 range of the collegiate rankings are eligible for six qualifying wild cards, with those who have completed their college education being eligible for eight wild cards.
Much like the partnership with the ITA, the Challenger Tour also partnered with World Tennis. This partnership granted those with year-end rankings inside the top 10 in the world eligible for eight main draw Challenger Tour wildcards, and those who finished the year between 11 and 20 in the world receiving eight Challenger Tour qualifying wildcards.
Prize money and ranking points
In 2022, during the most numerous season in the tour's history, the ATP Tour announced an overhaul of the tournaments system from 2023 season. Challenger 110 and Challenger 90 events were scrapped, Challenger 80 reduced to the Challenger 75 while the prize money requirements for it and Challenger 100 were increased. It also introduced the new highest category − Challenger 175 to be inaugurally held in the second week of Indian Wells, Rome and Madrid ATP Tour Masters 1000 events.
The points system as of 2025 is as follows: Tournament category Singles Doubles W F SF QF R16 R32 R48 Q Q2 Q1 W F SF QF R16Challenger 175175905025130063017510060320Challenger 1251256435168005301257545250Challenger 1001005025147004201006036200Challenger 7575442212600420755030160Challenger 50502514840031050301790
Player quality Players have usually had success at the Futures tournaments of the Men's World Tennis Tour 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.ATP 2010 Tretorn SERIE+
Records Most singles titles Position Player Title1 Lu Yen-hsun 292 Dudi Sela 233 Paolo Lorenzi 214 Carlos Berlocq 195 Go Soeda 18 James Duckworth7 Maximo Gonzalez 17 Blaz Kavcic Facundo Bagnis10 Takao Suzuki 16 Aljaz Bedene
Most matches won Updated #Matches wonYears423 Rubén Ramírez Hidalgo2000–2017421 Paolo Lorenzi2003–2021409 Go Soeda2004–2022372 Facundo Bagnis2009–2025369 Lu Yen-hsun2002–2018350 Carlos Berlocq2002–2019328 Filippo Volandri1999–2016325 Blaž Kavčič2007–2022323 Rogério Dutra Silva2006–2019321 Dudi Sela2003–2022308 Andrej Martin2008–Present306 Horacio Zeballos2006–2017304 Gastão Elias2008–Presentminimum 300 wins
Oldest champions Player Age Title Ivo Karlović 39 years, 7 months Calgary 2018 Fernando Verdasco 38 years, 3 months Monterrey 2022 Richard Gasquet 38 years, 2 months Cassis 2024 Dick Norman 38 years, 1 month Mexico City 2009 Stéphane Robert 37 years, 8 months Burnie 2018 Fabio Fognini 37 years, 6 months Montemar 2024 Bob Carmichael 37 years, 6 months Hobart 1978 Stéphane Robert 37 years, 5 months Kobe 2017 Tommy Robredo 37 years, 1 month Parma 2019 Tommy Robredo 37 years, 1 month Poznań 2019 Marin Čilić 36 years, 8 months Nottingham 2025
Youngest champions Player Age Title Michael Chang 15 years, 7 months Las Vegas 1987 Richard Gasquet 16 years Montauban 2002 Bernard Tomic 16 years, 4 months Melbourne 2009 Kent Carlsson 16 years, 7 months New Ulm 1984 Marcos Ondruska 16 years, 7 months Durban 1989 Richard Gasquet 16 years, 8 months Sarajevo 2003 Rafael Nadal 16 years, 9 months Barletta 2003 Richard Gasquet 16 years, 10 months Napoli 2003 Félix Auger-Aliassime 16 years, 10 months Lyon 2017
Youngest to win multiple titles Player Age Title Richard Gasquet 16 years, 8 months Sarajevo 2003 Félix Auger-Aliassime 17 years, 1 month Sevilla 2017 Rafael Nadal 17 years, 1 month Segovia 2003 Bernard Tomic 17 years, 3 months Burnie 2010 Carlos Alcaraz 17 years, 5 months Barcelona 2020 Novak Djokovic 17 years, 5 months Aachen 2004 Juan Martin del Potro 17 years, 6 months Aguascalientes 2006
Youngest to win three titles Player Age Title Richard Gasquet 16 years, 10 months Napoli 2003 Carlos Alcaraz 17 years, 5 months Alicante 2020 Félix Auger-Aliassime 17 years, 10 months Lyon 2018 Juan Martin del Potro 17 years, 10 months Segovia 2006 Novak Djokovic 17 years, 11 months San Remo 2005
List of events The Tampere Open is the longest running ATP Challenger event.
Challenger 175 ($175,000+H / €151,629+H)
Arizona Tennis Classic BNP Paribas Primrose Bordeaux Copa Cap Cana Copa Faulconbridge (2026-) Estoril Open (2025) Open Aix Provence Credit Agricole Piemonte Open Intesa Sanpaolo (2023–2025) Sardegna Open (2023–2024, 2026-)
Challenger 125 ($200,000+H / €181,250+H)
AON Open Challenger Bahrain Ministry of Interior Tennis Challenger (2023-) Belgrade Challenger (2021) Bengaluru Open Biella Indoor II (2021) Brawo Open (2022-) Busan Open Canberra International (Workday) (2024-) Cancún Country Open (2025-) Copa Faulconbridge (2024-2025) Co'met Orléans Open Cranbrook Tennis Classic (2026-) Dialectic Zug Open Emilia-Romagna Tennis Cup Hangzhou Challenger (2024) Hall of Fame Open (2025-) HPP Open Internazionali di Tennis Città di Perugia Jinan Open (2017–2019, 2025–) Invest in Szczecin Open Kunming Open (2017–2019) Layjet Open (2023-2025) Lexus Birmingham Open Lexus Ilkley Open Lexus Nottingham Open Copa Sevilla Marbella Tennis Open (2022) Metz Challenger Mexico City Open Morelia Open Monterrey Abierto GNP Seguros (2018–2019, 2023) Monza Open (2026-) Napoli Tennis Cup Olbia Challenger Open de Oeiras I Open Quimper Bretagne Play In Challenger Eupago Porto Open (2023–2024, 2026-) Québec Challenger RD Open (2017-2019, 2022-2024) Rosario Challenger Costa do Sauípe Open (2025-) Saint-Tropez Open Salzburg Open (2021-2024) San Marino Tennis Open (2001–2014, 2021–) Serve First Open (2025-) Seoul Open (2023, 2026-) Slovak Open (2023-2025) Teréga Open Pau–Pyrénées Taipei OEC Open (2024) Tiburon Challenger (2026-) Vancouver Open (2022, 2026-)
Challenger 100 ($160,000+H / €145,250+H)
Aberto da República (2023) BNC Tennis Open Nouvelle-Calédonie (2023-2025) Bratislava Open Brasil Tennis Challenger (2025) Campeonato Internacional de Tênis (2023-2024) Canberra International (2023) Cary Tennis Classic (2024) Challenger de Villa María (2024) Challenger Dove Men+Care Antofagasta (2023-2024) Challenger Dove Men+Care Concepcion (2026-) Challenger Dove Men+Care Temuco (2024-) Championnats Banque Nationale de Granby (2023) Chennai Open (2023-2025) Concord Iasi Open Copa Internacional de Tênis (2023-2024) Cranbrook Tennis Classic (2025) Danube Upper Austria Open powered by SKE Enea Poznań Open (2023, 2025-) Ferrero Challenger FlowBank Biel/Bienne Challenger (2021-2023) Guangzhou Huangpu International Tennis Open Internazionali di Tennis Città di Rovereto (2023-2024) Internazionali di Tennis Città di Trieste (2022-2025) Internazionali di Tennis Città di Verona (2023-2024) Jingshan Tennis Open (2025-) Koblenz Open powered by Outlet Montabaur (2023-2025) Kozerki Open (-2024) Latin America Open Lisboa Belém Open (2024-) Girona Challenger (2023-2025) Maia Challenger (2023-) MarketBeat Open (2025-) Slovak Open (2026-) Moldova Open (2026-) Montemar Challenger (2026-) Monza Open (2025) Neckarcup 2.0 NÖ OPEN powered by EVN Oeiras Indoors I (2026-) Oeiras Indoors II and III (2025) Open de Oeiras II (2025-) Open Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes de Roanne Open Blot Rennes Open Brest-Credit Agricole Open Comunidad de Madrid Open de Vendée (-2024) Open Menorca Open Saint-Brieuc (2026-) Open Sopra Steria de Lyon Platzmann Open (-2024, 2026-) Eupago Porto Open (2025) PMRDA Maha Open - Pune Challenger (2023-2025) Rwanda Challenger II (2025-) San Diego Open Santaizi Challenger (2025-) Seoul Open (2024-2025) Shanghai Challenger - Road to the Rolex Masters Shenzhen Longhua Open (-2024) Tenerife Challenger Trofeo Faip–Perrel (2025) UniCredit Czech Open Uruguay Open (2023-) Vancouver Open (-2019) Vitas Gerulaitis Cup (2023) Wuxi Open Yokkaichi Challenger (2023)
Defunct tournaments
Aberto de Brasília (2009–2010) Aberto de Florianópolis (-2012) Aberto da República (2021, 2023) Aberto Rio Grande do Sul (2012–2015) Aberto Rio Preto (2011, 2013) Aberto Santa Catarina de Tênis (2006-2012, 2022) Aberto de São Paulo (2001–2014) Abierto de Puebla (2016) Abierto Internacional Varonil Casablanca Cancún (2008-2010) Adriatic Challenger (2016) Aegon GB Pro-Series Bath (2011-2012) Aegon GB Pro-Series Glasgow (2015) Aegon GB Pro-Series Loughborough (2010-2012) Aegon Nottingham Challenge (2011-2014) Aegon Nothingham Trophy (2009-2014, 2021) Aegon Manchester Trophy (1995-2009, 2015-2016) Ağrı Challenger Aguascalientes Open (2011) Aguascalientes San Marcos Open (2022) Alessandria Challenger (-2011) Alexander Kolyaskin Memorial Almaty Challenger (2017–2019, 2021) Almaty Cup (2007–2009) Ambato La Gran Ciudad Antalya Challenger (2021, 2023) Astana Challenger Capital Cup (2016) Astana Cup (2010–2011) ATP Challenger Tour Finals ATP Challenger 2001 Team Padova ATP Challenger China International – Nanchang (2014–2016) ATP Challenger Torino (2015–2016) Banja Luka Open (-2023) (Chang-Sat) Bangkok Open (Chang-Sat) Bangkok 2 Open Bangkok Challenger II Bangkok Open IV Bangkok Open V Baotou International Challenger Båstad Challenger (2016-2018) Batman Cup Baton Rouge Pro Tennis Classic (2006-2010) Beijing International Challenger (2010-2013) Belo Horizonte Challenger (-2011)