Senza categoria – Tenerife Challenger

CARREÑO BUSTA CHOOSES TENERIFE

ENTRY LIST REVEALED: GARÍN AND RUUSUVUORI ARE ALSO IN THE MEETING
5 CANARIANS WILL RECEIVE AN INVITATION TO THE PRELIMINARY PHASE

Tenerife, January 14, 2025 – Davis Cup champion with Spain, Olympic bronze medallist, Grand Slam semi-finalist, Masters 1000 winner and former Top 10: Pablo Carreño Busta will light up the 2025 edition of the Tenerife Challenger. The first of two ATP Challenger events organised by MEF Tennis Events will be held from February 2 to 9 in the splendid setting of the Abama Tennis Academy and promises to be incredible thanks to a list of high-level participants. Further confirmation that the island has established itself as an elite destination.
However, Carreño Busta will not be the only notable name, Emil Ruusuvuori, Cristian Garín and Dominik Koepfer will also participate. For both tournaments, an increase in prize money has been planned, which now amounts to $100,000 for each event. The support of local authorities, especially Tenerife Tourism, together with the collaboration of the Canary Islands Tennis Federation and the Tenerife Island Tennis Federation, has been fundamental for the realization of both tournaments.
For the first time this year, the best players from the Canary Islands will have an invitation to debut on the Challenger circuit. For the first week, the Canary Islands Tennis Federation has chosen Noah López Cherubino, Canary Islands Absolute Champion, and Saúl Pacheco Benasayag, Canary Islands Junior Champion. For the second tournament, the Federation has awarded the invitations to the two players with the best national classification in the absolute category: David Aguiar Johansson and Miguel García González. In addition, in the week of February 9-16, the organization has granted a wildcard to the champion of Tenerife, Samuel García Hernández.

Entry List with 4 former Top 50 players, all ready to return to the top – At 33 years old and with a great desire to return to his best level, the presence of Pablo Carreño Busta in Tenerife is not a simple formality. The tennis player from Gijón, currently competing in the Australian Open, returned last May after undergoing surgery on his elbow. In just a few months he managed to climb back up to number 182, proof that his return to the Top 100 is only a matter of time. Thanks to his protected ranking, Carreño Busta continues to participate in the most prestigious tournaments on the circuit, which makes his choice of Tenerife strategic: the goal is to play, get back into rhythm and win. Davis Cup champion with Spain in 2019 and bronze medallist at the Tokyo Olympics (where he defeated Novak Djokovic in the match for third place), Carreño Busta was also the protagonist of a memorable victory at the Montreal Masters 1000 in 2022, his seventh ATP title.
However, he will not have it easy on the island. Among the participants stands out Cristian Garín, former world number 17 and winner of five ATP titles. After qualifying for the main draw of the Australian Open, the 28-year-old Chilean tennis player starts from position number 150 in the rankings, determined to climb positions.
In addition, Emil Ruusuvuori, out of competition since the end of July, is ready to return. The Finn born in 1999, who reached number 37 in the world in 2023, returns to the Challenger circuit after a 2024 truncated by injuries. Former Top 50 player and tournament number one seed, Dominik Koepfer, currently ranked 124th in the ATP rankings, will also be present in Tenerife. On Spain’s side, in addition to Pablo Carreño Busta, Javier Barranco Cosano and Alejandro Moro Cañas will participate, completing a solid local representation.

“A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” – Noah López Cherubino and Saúl Pacheco Benasayag will open the dances in Tenerife. “I am very excited and eager to make a good impression,” said Cherubino, 18. “I want to take advantage of the opportunity granted by the Canary Islands Tennis Federation, and I think that playing at home will be an added element. I am not afraid, because I would like a very competitive match, whoever my opponent is. I started playing in Lanzarote and now I train at the Fariones Sports Centre with Félix López. My career is starting now and this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
Saúl Pacheco, Junior Canarian champion and student of the Tenier Tennis Academy in Tenerife, is equally grateful: “For me, playing a Challenger is a dream come true. You spend your whole life sacrificing many things to prepare for such an important event. I hope it will be as fun a match as possible. I will surely face a very tough opponent, but I think the first thing will be to enjoy the moment. This is a very important opportunity for my growth and, with the whole team, we are proud, also because it will be an opportunity to verify my level by comparing it with that of the professionals.”

The fifth Canarian, who will compete in the qualifying phase of Tenerife Challenger 2 thanks to an invitation, is Samuel García Hernández, the island’s absolute champion. “I am very excited to participate in this tournament – said the tennis player who trains at the Santa Cruz Ofra Sports Complex and the Real Club Náutico de Tenerife –. I am sure that it will be an unforgettable experience and I want to thank both the Canary Islands Federation and MEF Tennis Events for the opportunity. I think it is fantastic that the Cabildo de Tenerife promotes these events that are very important on a social and sporting level.”

The jewel of the Canary Islands Tennis Federation – The president of the Canary Islands Tennis Federation, José Sepúlveda, could not be more satisfied: “We are very satisfied and also grateful for the collaboration we are carrying out with MEF Tennis Events and I cannot wait for the start of the tournaments to watch the best players from the Canary Islands challenge each other with the professionals of the Challenger circuit.”

Never before has Canarian tennis competed on the ATP cadet circuit like this year: “These invitations represent a great opportunity for these athletes to compete in an international environment and continue developing their sporting careers. The Canary Islands have a good tradition in tennis and our goal is to help it continue to be that way.”

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KIDS DAY: TENNIS AND INCLUSION

AN UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE FOR TENNIS SCHOOLS

The Tenerife Challenger opens its doors to tennis schools in the Canary Islands – The dream of many boys and girls who practice sports is to meet those who have made that dream come true. Young tennis fans from the Canary Islands will have the opportunity to experience a day in close contact with the professional tennis players participating in the ATP Challenger Tour tournaments that will take place in Guía de Isora, Tenerife. The organization of the tournament, together with the Tenerife Tennis Federation and the Canarian Tennis Federation, will involve the tennis schools of the Canary Islands with the KIDS DAY!

The novelty of Tenerife Challenger 2 and 3 is the presence of IODA Tenerife, an association that promotes values such as Inclusion, Leisure and Adaptive Sports. Children will have the opportunity to test their wheelchair tennis skills playing with IODA athletes.

Instructors and representatives of tennis clubs will be able to register their tennis school for one or more days, choosing between February 18 February 19 and February 26. Registration is done by filling out the attached form. A contact person will then contact the group leader to finalize the details of the visit to the Tenerife Challenger.

The KIDS DAY program varies by day and includes:
– PRACTICE SESSION WITH PLAYERS FROM TENERIFE CHALLENGER AND WHEELCHAIR TENNIS: The tennis schools that join will be able to dribble with the champions of the ATP Challenger tournament (30 minutes)
– PHOTO WITH THE PRO PLAYER: During and at the end of training, the boys will take photos with the players. Photos will be sent via link to the reference teacher.
– AUTOGRAPH SESSION: Each boy/girl will be given a ball autographed by one of the tournament players.
– FREE ENTRY: Each participating child will be given a free pass for the entire day. Each participant can bring two companions who will be allowed free access throughout the day.

**** HOW TO REGISTER: To register for the initiative, simply complete the attached form, or send an email to ticket@meftennisevents.com indicating the day of interest, preferred time slot, number of children/teenagers (minimum 8 people) . The contact person will be contacted to confirm the schedule. Registration until February 12 for Tenerife Challenger 2 and 3.

Click here to fill out the form!

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TENERIFE CHALLENGER 2, THE ENTRY LIST REVEALED

TENERIFE CHALLENGER 2, THE ENTRY LIST REVEALED

FROM GIGANTE TO PASSARO, MANY ITALIANS ON THE ISLAND

THERE IS ALSO DE JONG, SINNER’S OPPONENT IN AUSTRALIA

Tenerife, 30 January 2024 – The names that will be part of the Tenerife Challenger 2 have been made official. Having archived the first appointment in January, MEF Tennis Events is ready to double with the two ATP Challenger 75 tournaments which will take place on the Canary island between 18 February and March 3. The Hungarian Zsombor Piros, number 129 ATP, leads the entry list where five Italian tennis players appear. Among these Matteo Gigante, champion in 2023 of one of the events staged at the Abama Tennis Academy, as well as fresh winner of the Nonthaburi 3 Challenger (Thailand). Also present at the starting line is the former ATP number 40 Ilya Ivashka, as well as the promising Daniel Rincón (athlete of the Rafa Nadal Academy) and the Dutchman Jesper De Jong, recently Jannik Sinner’s opponent at the Australian Open. Tenerife Tourism and the Canary Islands therefore continue to focus on sport, and in particular tennis, to help promote an island with an optimal climate, which makes hospitality one of its strong points.

Gigante and Travaglia dream of an encore – One year after challenging each other in the final act of Tenerife Challenger 3, Matteo Gigante and Stefano Travaglia will return to the island as protagonists. The Roman born in 2002 has already left his mark on the hard courts of the Abama Tennis Academy and, thanks to his ATP ranking of number 155, he will be seeded. Despite the defeat in the final, the memories of the Canaries are probably even sweeter for Stefano Travaglia. The tennis player at the Enjoy Sporting Club of Rome, former ATP number 60, got his career back in motion with the result in Tenerife and since then he has climbed more than 200 positions in the world rankings which currently sees him at number 201. The tricolor troop is completed with Franco Agamemenone, Alessandro Giannessi and Francesco Passaro. The spotlight will be on the latter, who a year ago found himself one step away from the Top 100 before suffering from a series of physical problems that prevented him from experiencing the past season to the fullest of his possibilities. Tenerife could be the right springboard to get back on top.

De Jong, from Sinner to Tenerife – Among the players ready to battle in the Tenerife Challenger 2, the name of Jesper de Jong stands out. The Dutchman born in 2000 should lead the lower part of the draw as the number two seed, trying to give continuity to the excellent period that saw him play three Challenger finals in 2023 (the last one won against Benjamin Hassan in Grodzisk Mazowiecki), as well as reaching the main draw of the 2024 Australian Open starting from the qualifiers. In Melbourne, the current ATP number 139 defeated Pedro Cachin (world no. 74) in the first round before crashing into the wall erected by Jannik Sinner, capable of defeating him 6-2 6-2 6-2 on his way towards the first Slam of his career. The first seed will be Zsombor Piros, already winner of four titles in the cadet circuit. The twenty-four-year-old Hungarian, protagonist in the Davis Cup with his national team, will try a new assault on the Top 100 after failing to achieve his goal at the end of last season. Major circuit mission also for the former world number 40 Ilya Ivashka, who at 29 years old may have all it takes to return to the top. The Belarusian boasts Winston Salem’s ATP 250 title in his palmares, as well as highly prestigious scalps such as those of Alexander Zverev, Stanislas Wawrinka, Hubert Hurkacz and Lorenzo Musetti. There will be no shortage of home players, already three waiting for possible wild cards. Pablo Llamas Ruiz, seeded number four, will try to improve on the quarter-finals reached in the first of the three Challengers organized by MEF Tennis Events in the Canary Islands. Behind him also present Daniel Rincon, athlete of the Rafa Nadal Academy and winner of the 2021 US Open Junior, as well as the current ATP n.221 Alejandro Moro Canas.

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TENERIFE CHALLENGER 1, WILD CARD TO FABIO FOGNINI

TENERIFE CHALLENGER 1, WILD CARD TO FABIO FOGNINI
MARCHESINI: “FABIO JOINS OTHER GREAT CHAMPIONS”
THERE IS ALSO LANDALUCE, THE FUTURE OF SPANISH TENNIS

Tenerife, 12 January 2024 – Tenerife Challenger 1 is enriched with another prestigious name at the starting line. Fabio Fognini will land on the Canary Island to play the first of three tournaments organized by MEF Tennis Events on the hard courts of the Abama Tennis Academy, by virtue of a wild card for the main draw granted by the organization. The Taggiasco becomes part of a rich entry list that already included his compatriots Flavio Cobolli and Raul Brancaccio, as well as the promising Abdullah Shelbayh and the champions of the last two editions of the Next Gen ATP Finals Brandon Nakashima and Hamad Medjedovic. Martin Landaluce will also be there in the ATP Challenger 100 which will take place from 14 to 21 January. The Spanish Tennis Federation granted the former under-18 world number one one of the two wild cards at its disposal, the other invitation went to Alejandro Moro Canas.

Fognini joins Cobolli and Brancaccio – For Fabio Fognini, one of the most illustrious names on the Italian tennis scene, the results obtained during his career speak for themselves. Best ranking of number 9 ATP, champion of the Monte Carlo Masters 1000 in 2019 and one of the players with the most appearances in the Italian Davis Cup national team. Despite a year decimated by physical problems, the thirty-six year old from Arma di Taggia has not lost his will to fight. In a 2023 of ups and downs he stood out with the third rounds of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia and Roland Garros, while at the end of the season he closed on a high note with the semi-final in the ATP 250 in Metz and the victory in the Challenger in Valencia in end of November. Currently at position number 105 ATP, the Ligurian is chasing a return to the Top 100 which has been missing since April last year, and in Tenerife he will join Flavio Cobolli and Raul Brancaccio representing the Italian troop on the island. “For us it is a joy to return to host so many great champions – said the President of MEF Tennis Events, Marcello Marchesini –, to whom Fabio has now been added. We will find ourselves in a splendid place like the Abama Tennis Academy, which in 2021 allowed us to win the award as the best WTA 250 tournament of the season. All this would not be possible without the help of the Government of the Canary Islands and the support of Tenerife Tourism, who have renewed their trust in us also for 2024″.

Wild card in the main draw also for the talented Landaluce – Martin Landaluce has been added to the large group of interesting young people ready to battle it out in Tenerife. The Spaniard, former world number one under 18 and champion of the US Open Junior 2022, will take to the court in Tenerife thanks to a wild card granted to him by the Spanish Tennis Federation. During 2023, Landaluce had the opportunity to play in the first round of the ATP Masters 1000 in Madrid by virtue of a wild card, which was joined shortly afterwards by the first round of the ATP 250 in Umag. The alternation between these tokens in the major circuit and the first victories in the Challenger circuit, culminating with the quarter-finals in Alicante and Valencia, allowed him to become the first tennis player born in 2006 to enter the Top 500 (now n.443) . “I have to say a big thank you to the Spanish Federation and its president Miguel Diaz Roman – added Marcello Marchesini -. The intense collaboration we are having contributes to the spectacle we will see on the pitch, and with their important help we are increasing the number of Challenger tournaments in Spain, which is now like a second home for us.” The Iberian presence in Tenerife is enriched with further names to keep an eye on. The Spanish Federtennis also granted a wild card for the main draw to Alejandro Moro Canas (current number 230 ATP), while the two invitations for the qualifiers went to Pol Martin Tiffon and Daniel Merida Aguilar (number 235 and 439 ATP respectively). Also fighting for access to the main draw will be Tomas Quesada (an athlete originally from Gran Canaria) and Kenay Ortiz (tennis player from the Tenerife Tennis Academy), both of whom will be awarded a wild card by the organisation.

Tickets and season tickets to enjoy great tennis in Tenerife are available on the website www.tenerifetennis.com

For any information you can write to ticket@meftennisevents.com

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HALYS AND COBOLLI LEAD THE TENERIFE CHALLENGER 1 ENTRY LIST

Photo Daniele Combi

GREAT TENNIS RETURNS TO THE CANARY ISLANDS
HALYS AND COBOLLI LEAD THE FIRST ENTRY LIST
TWO CHAMPIONS OF THE NEXT GEN FINALS AT THE START

Tenerife, 26 December 2023 – The Tenerife Challenger 1 entry list is official. After the success of last season, the ATP Challenger circuit returns to the hard courts of the Abama Tennis Academy with the three tournaments organized by MEF Tennis Events. The first ATP Challenger 100, scheduled from 14 to 21 January 2024, will be followed by two ATP Challenger 75s (from 18 to 25 February and from 26 February to 3 March 2024). The Frenchman Quentin Halys, former number 61 in the world rankings, leads the seeding in which the Italians Flavio Cobolli and Raul Brancaccio are present. Spain will be the protagonist with three hosts: Pedro Martinez, Pablo Llamas Ruiz and Daniel Rincon. There is a lot of curiosity about the Jordanian talent of the Rafa Nadal Academy Abdullah Shelbayh, as well as the winners of the 2022 and 2023 Next Gen ATP Finals, Brandon Nakashima and Hamad Medjedovic respectively. The return of professionals to Tenerife coincides with the restyling of the Abama Tennis Academy; the Abama Resort has in fact completed the construction of a new covered area near the central court and a restaurant dedicated to the players (Restaurante Tágara) just before the entrance to the courts. An important investment to increasingly welcome athletes, tourists and enthusiasts.

Cobolli among the favorites on the island, for Brancaccio it’s like home – Exactly one year after his participation in the Tenerife Challenger, Flavio Cobolli returns to the Canary island with a different awareness. The Roman tennis player, current ATP number 101, comes from an important season which saw him enter the top 100, reaching the best ranking of 95 in the world, but also playing two Challenger finals (winning the second trophy of the circuit in Lisbon cadet). Between April and June 2023 he first reached the quarter-finals of the ATP 250 in Munich, then the main draw of the ATP Masters 1000 in Rome and Roland Garros. Precisely in France he faced the former world number one Carlos Alcaraz, coming out defeated inside the prestigious Philippe Chatrier. For Raul Brancaccio it will almost be a home tournament. The tennis player from Torre del Greco has an important connection with Spain (he lives in Valencia and trains at the GTennis Academy) and will try to exploit the public’s sympathy to repeat the Tenerife Challenger 2 final reached in 2023. There is great curiosity for the performances of Abdullah Shelbayh, Brandon Nakashima and Hamad Medjedovic. The Jordanian was the protagonist of an excellent 2023 which saw him participate in the Next Gen ATP Finals and win a Challenger tournament in Charleston, gaining over 250 positions in the rankings. Current number 195 in the world, the point in common between Shelbayh and Spain is the Rafa Nadal Academy, a fixed base for his training. The last two winners of the Next Gen ATP Finals will also take to the court on the hard courts of the Abama Tennis Academy: the American Nakashima, champion of 2022, currently number 134 in the world, and the Serbian born in 2003, Medjedovic, protagonist of a 2023 studded with three Challenger titles and the triumph in the event dedicated to the best under 21s in the world.

Marchesini inaugurates 2024: “A joy to start again in Tenerife” – The President of MEF Tennis Events, Marcello Marchesini, can’t wait to start a new season: “For us it is always a joy to accompany the start of a new season with three tournaments in Tenerife, just like what happened last season. The events consolidate our relationship with the island and are an opportunity to see champions and promising young players up close.” The bond between MEF Tennis Events and the Abama Tennis Academy is increasingly strong. The constant organization of important events has favored further improvements for the areas adjacent to the fields of a club that is even better equipped this year: “We are very happy with the collaboration with Abama, which for 2024 has increased the services within its club. This year there will be a covered restaurant dedicated to the players (Restaurante Tágara), as well as a new covered area behind the center court. The environment will also be more comfortable for the many fans and tourists who will come to experience these three weeks of great tennis.”

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THE 2024 SPANISH CHALLENGER CALENDAR WILL START IN TENERIFE

Abama Tennis Academyin the south of the island of Tenerifewill host three circuit tournaments during the first quarter of 2024 ATP Challenger, organized by MEF Tennis Events. On this occasion the calendar will be made up of a Challenger 100 and two tournaments Challenger 75.

Of the January 14 to 21 The ATP Challenger 100 will be held. The two ATP Challenger 75 will be held consecutively between the February 18 and 25the first and among the February 26 and March 3, the second. The event will host around 220 professional tennis players, both recognized stars and some of the best promises in the world.

MEF Tennis Events, a company specialized in organizing ATP, WTA and ITF tournaments in Italy, reinforces its commitment to Tenerife as European headquarters. The facilities have seven fast lanes Flexipave surface on which the games are played Australian and United States Open. In addition, the center court has a capacity of 600 spectators.

In 2024, the ATP Challenger Tour circuit has 147 tournaments Worldwide.

In the first and second edition of these tournaments, in 2022 and 2023, great world-known tennis players participated, such as Fernando VerdascoFeliciano LopezTallon Griekspoor (current 24 ATP and tournament winner in 2021), Matteo Arnaldi (winner in 2023 and current 41 ATP) and players like Joao SousaElias Ymer or Benoit Paire.

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Matteo Arnaldi - Foto Daniel Kondraciuk (MEF Tennis Events)

TENERIFE CHALLENGER SERIES CONTINUES WITH HAWK-EYE SYSTEM

Tenerife Challenger series continues with Hawk-Eye System

Following the success of the first ATP Challenger Tour 100 tournament in mid-January won by Russian Alexander Shevchenko, the second of a three-week hard-court swing in Tenerife is underway.

The Tenerife Challenger 2, which offers a total prize money of €75,000, is being held at the stunning Abama Tennis Academy in Guía de Isora in the western part of the largest of the Canary Islands.

Thanks to the support of Turismo de Tenerife, the Ayuntamiento de Guía de Isora, the Real Federación Española de Tenis and the Federación Insular de Tenis de Tenerife, the event will feature the Hawk-Eye System, which has been installed on Centre Court for the first time.

The use of Hawk-Eye has been a rarity on the ATP Challenger Tour until now. The well-known computer vision system, which uses several video cameras positioned at different angles of the court, makes it possible to reconstruct the trajectory of the ball and to verify whether the bounce point is in or out. The players of the tournament will be able to ask for the verification of doubtful shots, a further guarantee for them.

“We are very happy to use the Hawk-Eye System for the second of three tournaments we have organised on the island of Tenerife,” explains Marcello Marchesini, president of MEF Tennis Events and tournament director. “We are among the first to adopt this solution on the ATP Challenger Tour and it is something that enriches the tournament.”

Arnaldi leads the field

This week’s semi-finals line-up is led by World No. 130 Matteo Arnaldi. The second-seeded Italian, who had to go the distance in his opening two matches, defeated Oleksii Krutykh from Ukraine 6-4, 6-1 on a sunny Friday afternoon. Arnaldi capitalized on four of his seven break-point chances to prevail in one hours and 10 minutes.

“Krutykh is a friend, and it was not easy to face him. Throughout the challenge I played more and more aggressive tennis and made fewer and fewer mistakes, so I am happy with my performance,” said Arnaldi. “It was not easy to adapt to the surface, but today’s match was my best match of the tournament.”

The 21-year-old Sanremo native will next take on Spaniard Nicolas Alvaraz Varona, who is competing in his first tournament of the season. The wild card entry rallied past his compatriot and qualifier Alejandro Moro Canas 1-6, 6-2, 6-3 in one hour and 54 minutes.

Harris continues fine run of form

In the top half of the draw, Lloyd Harris defeated Italian veteran Roberto Marcora 7-6(4), 6-3. The 175^th-ranked South African, who knocked out World No. 111 and top seed Francesco Passaro of Italy in the second round, struck nine aces and won 75 per cent of his first-service points to seal victory in one hour and 38 minutes.

“It wasn’t an easy match. The first set was very tight. I got through some break points there. I served pretty well, which helped me today and I got some more free points,” said Harris, who saved three set points in the first set and needed to take a medical time out in the second when he received treatment on his right thigh.

“I am feeling a bit of stiffness. I was playing a lot of matches. Now, I am trying to recover and let’s see how I will feel tomorrow,” said Harris.

The 25-year-old will next play third-seeded Italian Raul Brancaccio, a 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-0 winner over No. 7 seed Carlos Taberner from Spain. The longest encounter of the day lasted three hours and 24 minutes.

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