Bengaluru Challenger postponed to early 2020

The Bengaluru Open, which is Asia’s biggest Challenger event, has been pushed to early 2020 to serve as a lead-up to the Tata Open in Pune.

The Bengaluru Open has been pushed to early 2020 because the Pune Open has been postponed by a month to February. (Representative Image)

The $150,000 ATP Bengaluru Open, which has been held in November for the last two years, has been pushed to early 2020 as a lead-up to the Tata Open Maharashtra in Pune. The Bengaluru Open is Asia’s biggest Challenger tournament.

The Pune Open, which is India's lone ATP Tour event, was for long the season opener, but has now been postponed by a month (February 3-8), with the brand new 24-nation ATP Cup taking up the early January slot. 

Prajnesh Gunneswaran is the reigning Bengaluru Open champion.

 

"We made the decision to club our Challenger with Pune so that participation rates are higher and it can help Indian players," confirmed Sunil Yajaman, the Tournament Director.

"Since the Pune tournament has moved, it wouldn't be possible to hold one Challenger in November and then another before the ATP [event]," he added.

Yajaman stated that the decision was made purely from a scheduling standpoint and that there were no sponsorship issues. "We will soon start raising the necessary funds. We are confident that it will remain a $150,000 event," he said.

However, the $50,000 Pune Challenger, usually conducted a week before or after the Bengaluru event, will retain its original place and is set to be organised for the sixth consecutive time later this year.