The opening week of the 2026 ATP Challenger season spans two continents as the Workday Canberra International and the Bengaluru Open stage early tests for rising talents and established professionals. Both events carry significant ranking points and prize money that can set the tone for the year.

In Canberra the combined ATP Challenger 125 and WTA 125 event offers a $320,000 prize pool and a field mixing experienced campaigners with younger prospects. The men’s draw is headed by world No. 103 Vit Kopriva, the 28-year-old Czech bidding for a seventh ATP Challenger Tour title. Kopriva meets former World No. 4 Kei Nishikori in the first round. “I’m looking forward to starting my season in Canberra, a city I’ve never been to before but very much looking forward to visiting. I have heard only great things about the event,” Nishikori said.

Italy’s Luca Nardi (No. 107), a seven-time Challenger winner, begins against a qualifier. Younger names such as Justin Engel and Alexander Blockx, last month’s Next Gen ATP Finals runner-up, underline Canberra’s role as a proving ground for the next generation. Blockx followed his semifinal run in Jeddah by defeating Nicolai Budkov Kjaer 6-2, 6-3 in Canberra’s opening round. Other top seeds include Yoshihito Nishioka, who faces Kyrian Jacquet, and Tomas Barrios Vera, who meets local wild card Philip Sekulic.

“Once again, the field that will assemble here in January really demonstrates exactly what the Workday Canberra International is all about,” tournament director Lawrence Robertson said. “Canberra will host some of the games established stars, while showcasing the game’s next generation of superstars, underpinning our position as Canberra’s premier summer sporting event.” Robertson also recalled last summer’s standout: “The standout story last summer was Brazil’s Joao Fonseca who arrived in Canberra fresh from winning the ATP Next Gen Finals and dominated the week without dropping a set,” Robertson said. “Fonseca now boasts a career-high ranking of 24. Following in his footsteps are four of the eight ATP Next Gen players, all aged under 20, and we can expect the same explosive, high quality tennis from this group. This is where the stars of tomorrow launch their careers, and we are lucky to witness it firsthand.”

In India the 10th Bengaluru Open runs 5–11 January at the KSLTA stadium as an ATP Challenger 125 event with a prize purse of more than $225,000 and 125 ranking points for the champion. Pedro Martinez, the top seed at No. 92, will open against a qualifier as he seeks his first title since Valencia in October 2024. The event continues its emphasis on local development: Sumit Nagal, a former world No. 68 and currently No. 275, began his campaign with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Karnataka wild card Prajwal Dev. “It’s a proud moment for me to compete at the Bengaluru Open ATP Challenger, especially in my home state,” the 29-year-old world No. 632 stated prior to his defeat. Tournament director Sunil Yajaman said, “His dedication and hard work make him a deserving recipient of the wild card for the Bengaluru Open 2026. The tournament has always aimed to support Indian players by providing them opportunities at a high competitive level, and we are confident that Prajwal will make the most of this chance on home soil.”

Patrick Kypson recovered from a set down to beat Otto Virtanen 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the HPP Open final to claim his fourth ATP Challenger title of 2025. The packed Tali Tennis Center watched the world No. 146 rally to victory in just under two hours, taking home €25,740 and 125 ATP ranking points.

Virtanen used home support to pressure Kypson early, earning the match’s first break to take the opening set 6-4. Kypson lifted his level in the second set, converting his third break point to move 4-2 ahead and closing the set 6-3 after Virtanen required a medical timeout at 5-3. The American struck first in the decider with an opening-game break and maintained his serve to finish the match.

“It feels really good, of course,” said a smiling Kypson. “It was a really tough one, and I’m just happy I was able to win today. It’s never easy to play against the home favorite, but I knew what to expect. It was fun out there—a great atmosphere and a close match until the end.”

When asked what made the difference, Kypson pointed to his serve. “I served really well today—apart from once in the first set, I held my service games strongly,” he said. “Getting that early break in the third set was huge, and I managed to keep serving well all the way through. The serve was definitely the key.”

For Virtanen, who was the last Finnish player to reach the final since Emil Ruusuvuori’s 2019 victory, the week was still a positive step. “Four good matches this week—overall, I’m happy with my game,” Virtanen said. “Of course, losing hurts, and it’s never fun to leave a home tournament as the runner-up when the goal was to win.”

Other winners around the Challenger circuit last week included Yoshihito Nishioka in Taipei, Tomas Barrios Vera in Peru, Henrique Rocha in Matsuyama and Mitchell Krueger in Knoxville, each lifting trophies at their respective events.

Belgian Alexander Blockx won the Slovak Open Challenger, defeating France’s Titouan Droguet 6-4, 6-3 in the final. The 20-year-old from Antwerp sealed victory in 69 minutes to claim his second Challenger title of the season after Oeiras and the third of his career. The former junior world No. 1 collected 125 ATP ranking points, pushing him to a new career-high just outside the Top 100 and surpassing his previous best of No. 116. Blockx is the first Belgian to lift the Slovak Open trophy in the tournament’s 26-year history.

The opening set saw both players hold serve until the eighth game before Blockx broke in the ninth to take it 6-4. He broke early in the second set and closed out the match by converting his second match point in the ninth game. “I think I played a good match,” Blockx said after the win. “It wasn’t my best tennis, but I was efficient. I served well, and with just two breaks in the match, it was pretty tight. I managed to take advantage of a few of his errors. Physically, I didn’t have as much energy as in the previous days, which is normal after four tough matches. My semifinal [against top seed Raphael Collignon] was one of the best matches I’ve ever played, so it’s not easy to keep that level. I’m happy I managed to finish strong.” He also recalled a narrow escape in round one. “Honestly, I was just happy to get through that first round,” Blockx admitted. “That gave me confidence, and I played better with every match. The field was very strong. This was one of the toughest and best Challengers I’ve played. Everything here in Bratislava was great—from the organization to the ball kids. I play my best tennis where I feel good, and here in Bratislava, it felt like home.”

Italian Lorenzo Giustino won the inaugural Monastir Open in Tunisia, beating Petr Brunclik 7-5, 6-0 in one hour and 52 minutes under clear skies at the Skanes Family Resort. Giustino converted five of 14 break points and won 58 percent of points. “I played very well. I was very nervous at the beginning, as I was also playing for a ticket to the Australian Open. I was good at the important points and improved throughout the match,” he said. Giustino earned $8,350 and 50 ATP points.

On hard courts, Sho Shimabukuro beat No. 5 seed Coleman Wong 6-4, 6-3 to win the EUGENE Seoul Open in 71 minutes, his fifth Challenger title and his second of the season. Rafael Jódar captured the Charlottesville title with a 6-3, 7-6(2) win over Martin Damm. In Lima, top seed Mariano Navone overcame Marco Cecchinato 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 to claim the Los Inkas Open after more than two hours and forty minutes; it was Navone’s eighth Challenger trophy and his second of the season.