Defending champion Dudi Sela (ISR) will be joined by giant killers Andreas Seppi (ITA) and Florian Mayer (GER) in a blockbuster East Hotel Canberra Challenger 2018 line up. Eleven of the world’s top 100 players will compete in the USD$75,000 ATP Challenger event from January 6-13 at the Canberra Tennis Centre.
Sela will return to the capital for the third consecutive year and comes into the event as the top seed currently ranked 67. With 22 Challenger titles to his name, in 2017 Sela made the third round of Wimbledon, the semifinal of the ATP event in Chennai, and posted three top 30 wins.
Currently ranked 86, Seppi has been ranked as high as 18 and will be playing in Canberra for the first time. Seppi has a great record in Australia, making the fourth round of Australian Open on three occasions. In 2015, Seppi caused a memorable upset when he defeated second seed Roger Federer (SUI) in the third round of Australian Open.
Mayer is a two time Wimbledon quarterfinalist and boasts wins over Rafael Nadal (ESP) and Andy Murry (GBR). Peaking at a career high of 18 in 2011, Mayer holds two ATP titles and is currently ranked 69 in the ATP rankings.
Former world No.23 Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP) has won five ATP titles and been to the fourth round at Australian Open 2015 and French Open 2014. Garcia-Lopez has career wins over Nadal, Murray, and Stan Wawrinka (SUI) and will be the third seed at this year’s event.
Current top 100 players, Mikhail Kukushkin (KAZ), Victor Estrella Burgos (DOM), Marton Fucsovics (HUN), Laslo Djere (SRB), Maximilian Marterer (GER), Nicolas Kicker (ARG), and Malek Jaziri (TUN) will also join the field.
Rising stars Soonwoo Kwon (KOR) and Corentin Moutet (FRA) will be looking to continue their climb up the ATP rankings. Both players have secured Australian Open 2018 wildcards after Kwon won the Asia Pacific Wildcard Playoff in December, while Moutet received the French reciprocal wildcard.
Tournament Director Kim Kachel said “We are thrilled to announce our strongest ever field for the East Hotel Canberra Challenger. Fourteen players in the field will complete their final preparations for Australian Open 2018 by competing here in Canberra.
“To have former top 20 players and a field of such high calibre is a real coup. We have players here who have posted multiple wins over Nadal, Federer, Murray, Wawrinka, won ATP titles and reached the quarterfinals of Wimbledon.
“With 11 of the world’s top 100 players and further emerging superstars, the event will provide the Canberra community the opportunity to watch world class tennis in their own backyard,” Kachel added.
Entry to the Canberra Tennis Centre is free, with a gold coin donation upon finals day.
For draws and order of play, please click here.
East Hotel Canberra Challenger 2018
Player acceptance list as at 6 January 2018
| Ranking | First name | Last name | Nation |
| 67 | Dudi | Sela | ISR |
| 69 | Florian | Mayer | GER |
| 70 | Guillermo | Garcia-Lopez | ESP |
| 74 | Mikhail | Kukushkin | KAZ |
| 83 | Victor | Estrella Burgos | DOM |
| 85 | Marton | Fucsovics | HUN |
| 86 | Andreas | Seppi | ITA |
| 88 | Laslo | Djere | SRB |
| 90 | Maximilian | Marterer | GER |
| 95 | Nicolas | Kicker | ARG |
| 98 | Malek | Jaziri | TUN |
| 104 | Nicolas | Jarry | CHI |
| 156 | Corentin | Moutet | FRA |
| 168 | Soonwoo | Kwon | KOR |
| 269 | Zhe | Li | CHN |
| 297 | Geoffrey | Blancaneaux | FRA |
About the East Hotel Canberra Challenger
The East Hotel Canberra Challenger 2018, a USD$75,000 ATP Challenger event will take place at the Canberra Tennis Centre from 6 – 13 January 2018. Players from the world’s top 100 will compete in their final event prior to Australian Open 2018.
Entry from 6 – 12 January is free with entry on finals day by gold coin donation.
Men’s qualifying will commence on Saturday 6 January 2018, with main draw action scheduled to start on Monday 8 January 2018.
Friday 12 January, 2018 will feature a Twilight session including the Men’s doubles final, free cardio tennis sessions along with live DJ, food trucks and drink options. More details
East Hotel Canberra Challenger tournament information including draws and order of Play will be posted here when available.
Live scoring and streaming for the East Hotel Canberra Challenger will be available here. Live scoring will commence on Saturday 6 January, with live streaming to commence on Monday 8 January.
Latest
ACT