Welcome to Irving Tennis Classic
March 16 – March 22, 2015
Irving Tennis Classic is returning in 2015 for its annual stop on the ATP Challenger Tour where players will earn Emirates ATP Ranking points and a prize money purse of $125,000. The Challenger Tour is the springboard to fame for the future stars of professional tennis by providing opportunities for young players to develop their talents.
In 1978, a circuit of events was formed in North America, which comprised tournaments of $25,000 and was sponsored by the American Express Company. This tennis circuit served as a stepping-stone to the Grand Prix circuit, as it was known at that time. Since the inception of the ATP World Tour in 1990, a strong emphasis has been placed on the development of the Challengers. The Challenger calendar now consists of a worldwide circuit of over 150 events in more than 40 countries with prize money in 2013 reaching $9.1 million.
The ATP Challenger Tour ensures the continued success of professional tennis. The competition at this level is intense, with young up-and-coming players fighting for those vital Emirates ATP Ranking points that will qualify them to compete at the very top level of their profession. Nearly every player on the ATP World Tour has fought his way to the top of the game through the Challengers.
Irving Tennis Classic is sanctioned by the ATP (the principal organizer of the men’s professional tennis tour) and is conveniently scheduled and located between the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California, and the Sony Open in Miami, Florida. These two distinguished tournaments require the top 50 ATP players to participate, and has consistently drawn top players to Dallas, as the players travel from California to Florida. Typically, the top 50 players are not allowed to play in challenger events, but an exception applies for Irving Tennis Classic, encouraging players positioned in the top 50 in the ATP rankings to compete for the highest prize money tournament on the ATP Challenger calendar.
Well-known players who have previously played in this tournament include Marcos Baghdatis (CYP), Tommy Haas (GER), Marin Cilic (CRO), James Blake (USA), Juergen Melzer (AUT) and many more.
The Four Seasons Resort and Club at Las Colinas is a perfect venue for this type of international event. The resort style atmosphere provides a luxurious one-of-a-kind experience for sponsors, players and spectators.
Parking is free each day with the purchase of a tournament program ($5).
Contact Information
To obtain additional information about the tournament, please contact us at zoltan@irvingtennisclassic.com