 agencies
NEW DELHI, Oct 29: The cities of Chennai, Bengaluru and Pune will host back-to-back ATP 100 Challenger events early next year, the AITA announced on Saturday.
The All India Tennis Association (AITA) did not specify the dates but it is understood that all the tournaments will be held in February after the Indian team's Davis Cup World Group Play-off tie.
"The dates have not been sanctioned as yet by the ATP to us. We will know soon. This time, UP also wanted a Challenger in Lucknow but mutually we decided that Bengaluru hosts one of the events," AITA Secretary General Anil Dhupar said.
"UP will now host three ITF Futures, one USD 25,000 and two USD 15,000 level events," he added.
It has been learnt that Chennai will host the first event and the second tournament will be held in Bengaluru and finally Pune, which has hosted ATP50 events in the past.
The fourth Challenger, an ATP 50 event, is being contemplated in Nagpur, provided ATP gives a green signal.
"Pune will be back on Challenger calender after a gap of three years. We are also making efforts to put a challenger in Nagpur but the venue needs to be approved by ATP. However we are hopeful that this will happen," said Sunder Iyer, who is MSLTA Secretary.
The AITA will organise a total of 21 men's and women's ITF and ATP Challenger events, worth Rs 5 crore prize money, and 11 ITF Juniors international events between November 2022 and March 2023.
This will include eight ITF men's events, four ATP Challengers and nine ITF Women's events.
"We are sure that Indian players will be tremendously benefitted from these events and our players will make maximum use of the opportunities that AITA has created for players.
"The two years of Covid took its toll on the tournaments in India, but the record events will help our players bounce back, improve their international rankings, and prove their mettle," said Dhupar.
The Tata Open Maharshtra, country's premier and lone ATP 250 event, will be held from December 31 as it returned to its original start-of-the-season slot when it was known as Chennai Open. |
