India to host four ATP Challenger Tour events in 2026

India had only one singles main-draw win across all four Challenger events in 2025.

India will be hosting four ATP Challenger Tour events for three successive seasons in a row. However, there has been significant change to the schedule, prize money and the ranking points, signifying the current landscape of Indian tennis.

The 2026 calendar will feature tournaments at Chennai, Pune, New Delhi, and Bengaluru. The Bengaluru kicks off the 2026 season on January 5 as the city retained its Challenger 125 status. The winner will be securing 125 ranking points, and the prize money has increased from $200,000 to $225,000.

Thereafter, the action shifts to the Challenger 50 event in Chennai on February 9, with 50 ranking points and a prize money of $63,000 on offer.

According to reports, the massive drop in the ranking points and prize money in Chennai signals that the competition on the field will be comparatively weaker than the last edition ($160,000 and 100 ranking points).

The ATP 75 event in Delhi commences on February 16 and will be awarding $107,000 with 75 ranking points to the champion.

Meanwhile, the series concludes with an ATP 75 event in Pune with the same prize and ranking points as Delhi. It is worth noting that Pune offered $160,000 and 100 ranking points for the winner in 2025.

Sunder Iyer, Honorary Secretary of the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association shed light on the reasons behind the drop in prize money in Chennai and Pune events. He said (via Sportstar):

“In 2025, all four tournaments in India received significant monetary help from ATP. For next season, they have selected a different country to do the same. They will still support us but the monetary assistance has been reduced.”

Also Read: Carlos Alcaraz wins Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award 2025, his second in three years

How did Indian players fare across four ATP Challenger Tour events in 2025?

The Indian players could secure just a solitary victory in 13 singles matches in the main draw events of the 2025 season. Mukund Sasikumar advanced to the Round of 16 after a victory against France’s Sascha Gueymard Wayenburg.

The other athletes in the singles category failed to match the competitive standard required to attain success in the Challenger 100 and 125 events.

Meanwhile, Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan-Vijay Sundar Prashanth impressed after they secured the doubles title at the ATP 100 event in Pune. India’s Anirudh Chandrasekar teamed up with Chinese Taipei’s Ray Ho to win the ATP 125 event in Bengaluru.

The duo of Ramkumar Ramanathan & Saketh Myneni finished as the runner-up in the Chennai leg. 

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