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2026 Bengaluru Open
January 10 All day
The 2026 Dafa News Bengaluru Open marks a historic milestone in the Indian tennis calendar, celebrating its 10th edition as the country’s premier ATP Challenger event. Upgraded to an ATP Challenger 125 category tournament, the 2026 edition promises high-octane action with a significantly increased prize purse, attracting a robust field of international and domestic talent.
Hosted by the Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association (KSLTA), the tournament is taking place from January 5 to January 10, 2026, at the iconic KSLTA Tennis Stadium in Cubbon Park, Bengaluru. Known for its energetic crowds and high-quality hard courts, the venue continues to be a fortress for tennis in Southern India.
Tournament Category and Prize Money
A major highlight of the 2026 edition is its elevated status. While previous editions were often Challenger 100 events, the 2026 tournament is an ATP Challenger 125. The total prize money commitment for the 2026 Bengaluru Open is $225,000, making it the richest tennis tournament currently held in India.
The prize money distribution is as follows:
- Winner: Takes home $33,650 and earns 125 ATP Ranking points.
- Runner-up: Secures $19,700 and 64 points.
- Semi-finalists: Earn $11,705 and 35 points.
- Quarter-finalists: Earn $6,800 and 16 points.
- Round of 16: $3,895 and 8 points.
- Round of 32: $2,255 and 0 point.
The Field: Seeded Players and Indian Contenders
The 2026 draw features a mix of established ATP professionals and rising stars. The acceptance list is headlined by Spain’s Pedro Martínez, the only Top-100 player in the singles draw, who enters as the top seed.
Provisional Top Seeds:
- Pedro Martínez (ESP) – World No. 92
- Harold Mayot (FRA) – World No. 163
- Jay Clarke (GBR) – World No. 175
- Lloyd Harris (RSA) – World No. 222
- Matej Dodig (CRO) – World No. 232
- Timofey Skatov (KAZ) – World No. 237
- Max Houkes (NED) – World No. 247
- Benjamin Hassan (LBN) – World No. 254
Rankings based on entry list cut-off.
The Indian Contingent:
Home crowd favorite and former champion Sumit Nagal headlines the Indian challenge.18 Despite being unseeded due to a ranking of 277, Nagal’s history at this venue (2017 Champion) makes him a dangerous floater in the draw.19 The tournament has also awarded wildcards to promising local talents S.D. Prajwal Dev, Manas Dhamne, and Dhakshineswar Suresh, providing them a vital platform to compete at the Challenger level.20
In the doubles bracket, India’s Davis Cup star N. Sriram Balaji teams up with Austria’s Neil Oberleitner as the top seed, while the all-Indian pair of Anirudh Chandrasekar and Arjun Kadhe are seeded second.
Schedule and Format
The tournament follows a compact one-week schedule:
- Qualifying Rounds: Concluded on January 5, with players like Eero Vasa and Niels Visker booking their spots in the main draw.
- Round of 32 (Main Draw): Starts Monday, January 5, featuring marquee matchups including Sumit Nagal’s opening round.
- Round of 16 & Quarter-finals: Scheduled mid-week (Wednesday–Thursday).
- Semi-finals: Friday, January 9.
- Grand Final: Saturday, January 10, 2026.
A Legacy of Champions
The Bengaluru Open has a reputation for launching careers. Past champions include Aleksandar Vukic, Max Purcell, and Vasek Pospisil (Doubles). The 2025 defending champion, Brandon Holt of the USA, returns to Bengaluru looking to defend his title, adding another layer of intrigue to the 2026 narrative.
As the “Garden City” plays host to this festival of tennis, the 2026 Dafa News Bengaluru Open stands not just as a sporting event, but as a testament to the growing stature of Indian tennis on the global stage.