Szczecin Shines In 25th Anniversary On Challenger Tour

Tennis in Poland is enjoying a golden era on the ATP Challenger Tour. Three tournaments – in Poznan, Szczecin and Wroclaw – headline the calendar, highlighted by the 2016 Tournament of the Year winner Pekao Szczecin Open. Celebrating its 25th edition this week, it has been recognised for its efforts to grow the sport both in Poland and at the Challenger level, while creating a product that players and spectators alike would expect from an ATP World Tour event.

The distinguished $150,000 event is both the oldest and largest professional tournament in the country, and is once again underway with a stacked field at the historic Szczecin Tennis Club.  It is celebrating Tournament of the Year honours for the first time, along with fellow European events in Braunschweig, Germany and Mons, Belgium. Headlined this year by former Top 10 player Richard Gasquet, it has been a staple on the ATP Challenger Tour since 1996, following three years as a satellite event.

Eight players who have eventually broken into the Top 20 of the Emirates ATP Rankings have won in Szczecin in the past, including six-time ATP World Tour winner Pablo Cuevas and former World No. 3 Nikolay Davydenko. Much of the tournament’s success can be attributed to its passionate and energetic organisers, led by tournament director Leopold Korytowski and chairman Krzysztof Bobala. The team has helped create an incredible atmosphere that filled the stands last year, with more than 25,000 people attending the event to watch some of the best clay- court tennis on the Challenger circuit.

“[That] gave us a lot of joy and satisfaction and showed that we are going in the right direction,” Bobala said. “On behalf of the entire crew at Pekao Szczecin Open, we promise we will do our best to constantly develop our tournament and for years to write a beautiful story not only of Szczecin but the entire Polish tennis family. The best is yet to come.”

Much of the reason that players enjoy the tournament as much as they do, is thanks to the world-class hospitality at the Szczecin Tennis Club. The 10-court club, which was founded in 1946 and later rebuilt after World War II, has a massive Centre Court that is nearly entirely enclosed by fans. There are even two tiers of seating on one side of the event’s crown jewel, which you will always find full of some of the best crowds on the ATP Challenger Tour.

“The tournament is really nice,” added Bjorn Fratangelo. “The centre court is just as big as many 250s out there, and a lot of people come out to watch. The organisation is great and it definitely feels more like a tour event than a Challenger.”

Publications throughout Poland and the rest of Europe flock to Szczecin, which is just 30 minutes from the German border and one of the country’s most important seaports, to cover the event. There is a VIP Club at the tournament that provides red carpet treatment for guests with top-class food and drinks. Fans can also enjoy concerts that take place in an outdoor space on-site during the event.

Top seed @richardgasquet1 spends time with the future of Polish tennis at Kids Day at the @PekaoSznOpen in Szczecin. pic.twitter.com/FooAmBIJZh

— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) September 13, 2017

Gasquet, the former World No. 7, leads this year’s field after last playing in the event in 2004. The Frenchman is happy to compete in the tournament to gain extra match play after struggling with injuries. He enjoys the treatment in Szczecin, which he believes is first-rate.

“It’s a big Challenger and like a [ATP World Tour] 250. It’s a good tournament to play and fits well in my calendar,” Gasquet said. “I will try my best and we’ll see what happens. I’m just happy to play here, because the tournament is so well organised. It will be tough to win.”

Gasquet is not the only player who is fond of the tournament, with others heaping praise on the venue and how its organisers treat the competitors. The timing of it also allows those who lose in the first week of the US Open time to fly to Europe to prepare for the $150,000 event.

“First of all, it fits very well in the schedule,” said last year’s finalist Dustin Brown, who won the tournament in 2014. “I have only good memories from here and everyone is very nice and treats me well. It’s a good feeling to come back here.”