BREST/STARNBERG, October 3, 2025
On Thursday, part of the player field for the Brest Open Groupe Vert 2025 was unveiled, ahead of the tournament scheduled from October 20 to 26 at the Brest Arena.
For the 10th anniversary edition, the Brest Open Groupe Vert is preparing a memorable celebration, starting with the announcement of the first 21 players in the field. The full lineup will later be completed with 11 additional names: 3 wild cards, 6 qualifiers, and 2 special exempts.
The announcement was made in the unique setting of the Piscine Lab, with sporting director Arnaud Clement in attendance, confirming that thrilling matches are on the horizon.
Top names: Djere, Nardi, and Virtanen set the tone
Defending champion Otto Virtanen returns to Brest a year after his triumph over Benjamin Bonzi in the final. The Finn arrives in strong form, having lifted the ATP Challenger Tour 125 title in Birmingham and notched wins against Tomas Martin Etcheverry (World No. 62) in Hertogenbosch and Sebastian Korda (World No. 23) in Marseille.
He will be joined by compatriot Emil Ruusuvuori, who enters with a protected ranking of No. 83. Once ranked as high as World No. 37 in April 2023, Ruusuvuori will be a key player to watch.
But the No. 1 seed will be Serbia’s Laslo Djere, currently ranked No. 82. At 30 years old, Djere is enjoying a stellar 2025 season, highlighted by a title at the ATP 250 in Santiago.
Italy’s Luca Nardi, ranked No. 88 and just 22 years old, is another standout contender. Nardi has scored impressive wins this season, including victories over Zhang Zhizhen (No. 49) in Doha, Zizou Bergs (No. 56) in Dubai, Flavio Cobolli (No. 34) in Rome, and Denis Shapovalov (No. 30) in Cincinnati.
Rising stars keep Brest’s tradition alive
Since Roger Federer’s victory in 1999, the Brest Open Groupe Vert has built a reputation as a launchpad for future stars. Hubert Hurkacz, Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Ugo Humbert, Brandon Nakashima, Holger Rune, and João Fonseca have all played in Brest early in their careers.
This year, the spotlight will once again fall on youth. Fresh from a title in Orleans, Spain’s Martin Landaluce has climbed to No. 111 in the world at just 19 years old. He will be joined by US-American Nishesh Basavareddy, who has recorded 10 Top 100 wins this season, including a victory over Alejandro Tabilo (No. 23) in Auckland, where he reached the semifinals.
Croatia’s Dino Prizmic, winner in Zagreb and Bratislava this season, and US-American Eliot Spizzirri, fresh off his Challenger triumph in Jingshan, are also poised to make an impact. Other promising names include Italy’s Matteo Gigante (No. 144), Estonia’s Mark Lajal (No. 145), Italy’s Francesco Maestrelli (No. 154), and 19-year-old Japanese prospect Rei Sakamoto (No. 190).
Experience in the spotlight: Jarry, Echargui, Holmgren
Adding depth to the field is Chile’s Nicolas Jarry, who was ranked as high as World No. 16 in May 2024. With three ATP 250 titles and two Grand Slam quarterfinals to his name, Jarry will be a strong contender.
Tunisia’s Moez Echargui, the highest-ranked African player at No. 142, is enjoying the best year of his career. The 32-year-old lifted his first Challenger title in Porto and added titles in Saint-Tropez and Hersonissos, both in finals against Frenchman Dan Added—also entered in Brest.
Denmark’s August Holmgren, champion in Granby and a standout at Wimbledon with wins over Quentin Halys (No. 46) and Tomas Machac (No. 23), will also be in action, alongside Canada’s Alexis Galarneau.
Words from the organizers
Arnaud Clement, sporting director of the tournament: “Year after year, the Brest Open Groupe Vert continues to establish itself on the circuit as the Challenger that reveals the stars of tomorrow. This first part of the field proves it once again: the favorites are very young and will soon be regulars at the Grand Slams. In Brest, fans get the chance to see them before anyone else! More French hopes are also expected soon, and with a third of the field still to be announced, this 10th edition promises to be very special.”
Alexis Dagorn, President of the Brest Challenger Tour Association: “Once again, it’s a very promising lineup for this 10th edition, with extremely talented players. Brest is a land of hope and sport, and we look forward to this anniversary edition with great enthusiasm. More than just a tournament, it is a regional event both on and off the court. The Schools Open, Kids Day Mon Atout Énergie, and Urban Tennis by BMH are all initiatives offering free tennis activities and accessibility for young people in Brest—who one day might also step onto the central court of the Brest Arena!”
Celebrating 10 years: Tennis and concerts
On Saturday, October 25, the Brest Open Groupe Vert will celebrate its 10th anniversary with a double concert at the Brest Arena. DJ, producer, and beatmaker Guts will headline with a groovy DJ set, preceded by a set from local collective Radio Lune, famous for its Pumpelop parties.
As a special anniversary gift, anyone who purchases a ticket for Saturday’s concert will receive free access to the tournament from Monday to Friday to enjoy the tennis action.
