Tiburon Challenger tennis tournament levels up with a bigger purse and higher-ranked players

The Tiburon Challenger tennis tournament returns to the Tiburon Peninsula Club Sept. 13 with a $230,000 prize pot and a promotion to the ATP Challenger Tour’s 125 level.

Now in its 18th year, the tournament will bring some of the world’s best rising male players to the Tiburon Peninsula. The prize money is more than double last year’s $100,000, and the event has moved up a tier from the tour’s 75 level.

The men will play over a week that ends with finals weekend Sept. 19 and 20. There will be three draws: 24 in singles qualifying, 32 in the singles main draw and 16 pairs in doubles.

New this year is The Village, a social hub on the club patio. People can buy food, drinks or clothing, play lawn games, sit on lounge seating or visit booths from vendors such as Brad Gilbert’s Tennis Nation. The Village will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 13 and from 3 to 7 p.m. Sept. 14-18. Opening day doubles as Kid’s Day at The Village, following a free children’s tennis clinic that morning.

Finals weekend, the biggest draw, is sold out. But tennis fans can still catch the finale in another setting. The club will show the finals on a large LED screen on its patio Sept. 19 and 20 for a watch party open to members and guests. Finals weekend will also run live on the Tennis Channel, hosted by Mike Cation and Brad Gilbert.

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