Tiburon Challenger offers a glimpse into tennis’ future
Why attend the Tiburon Challenger next week at Tiburon Peninsula Club?
Two words: Frances Tiafoe.
Pro men’s tennis players from around the world have competed in Tiburon for 15 years to earn valuable ATP points necessary for automatic berths in the main draws at major tournaments such as the Grand Slams.
Tiafoe played at the 2016 Tiburon Challenger when he was a teenager determined to crack the Top 100 rankings. He has exceeded that goal, reaching the 2022 U.S. Open semifinals and climbing to No. 19 in the world.
It’s been six years since Tiafoe played in Tiburon and club members continue to stay in touch with the dynamic star via texts and emails. TPC even held watch parties during the U.S. Open so they could cheer on their adopted son.
In 2017, Great Britain’s Cameron Norrie won the Tiburon Challenger as the No. 136 player in the world and now finds himself perched at No. 8. American Tommy Paul, the 2019 Tiburon champ, has risen to No. 28.
“You have a chance to see the next superstars of tennis,” said tournament director Adam Gagnon. “The intimate setting the Tiburon Challenger provides is one of a kind. Spectators are right on the court.”
Back after a two-year absence, the Tiburon Challenger offers a total purse of around $70,000. Players from 10 countries are in the 32-player singles tournament. There is also a 16-team doubles draw.
This year’s list of aspiring stars includes several American players who appear ready to make the leap. Ben Shelton — son of former pro player Bryan Shelton — upset No. 2-ranked Casper Rudd this past summer. Marin’s own Brad Gilbert believes that Shelton has what it takes to be an elite champion.
Brandon Holt — son of Tracy Austin — also had a great summer, claiming a first-round upset over No. 12 Taylor Fritz at the U.S. Open despite ranking outside the top 200.
Gagnon says he’s very excited to host Paul Jubb, a 22-year-old from Great Britain who ranks just outside the top 200. The NCAA singles champ for the University of South Carolina pushed Nick Kyrgios to five sets at Wimbledon earlier this year.
“History has shown that our players have gone on to great things,” said Gagnon. “They are blue-chip stock on the rise.”
Not all players fall into the up-and-coming category. Sometimes veterans use the West Coast swing on the Challenger tour to get back on track. After Tiburon, the tour moves to Fairfield and Las Vegas
Great Britain’s Kyle Edmond, once as high as No. 14, saw his ranking plummet to No. 432 due to a knee injury. His road to recovery runs through Tiburon.
Australians Jason Kubler and Jordan Thompson are top 100 players looking for more. They are the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds, respectively. Americans Denis Kudla and Stefan Kozlov are seeded third and fourth.
Gagnon says Tiburon could not host this event without club members and local volunteers.
“This event has the biggest budget of any Challenger on the planet,” said Gagnon. “It wouldn’t happen without our TPC members.”
One major sacrifice is that the entire club is taken over for the tournament. Belvedere Tennis Club and The Olympic Club in San Francisco are offering reciprocal play for TPC members while the tournament is underway.
The Challenger Tour is in Charleston, S.C., before coming to Tiburon. Due to Hurricane Ian, some players left Charleston earlier than normal to avoid the storm. Gagnon said the early arrivals require the tournament staff to change and add hotel reservations among other accommodations.
If you go
What: Tiburon Challenger professional men’s tennis tournament
Where: Tiburon Peninsula Club
When: Oct. 3-9
Tickets: $30-50 for a daily pass; $235 weeklong pass