ITAJAÍ/STARNBERG, December 9, 2025
The Itajaí Open, an ATP Challenger 75 event, was officially launched today at the City Hall of Itajaí, a municipality in the state of Santa Catarina. The tournament will open the 2026 ATP Challenger Tour season in Brazil, offering a total prize money of US$107,000 and awarding 75 ATP Ranking points to the champion. The launch ceremony was attended by the city’s mayor, Robison Coelho, several local authorities, and players Felipe Meligeni, Eduardo Ribeiro, and Marcelo Zormann.
The Itajaí Open will take place from January 18 to 25 at the Itamirim Clube de Campo, widely recognized as one of the best tennis clubs in the country. With nine outdoor clay courts, additional indoor courts, and two hard courts, the club provides top-level infrastructure for hosting a major event.
“I’m very happy to have this Challenger in Itajaí, at the club where I’ve chosen to train. Playing at home is always better. I’m coming back after some time away, but I still have a little more than a month to get in shape and fight for the title,” said Meligeni.
This year, Brazil hosted 35 international tennis tournaments – exceeding the CBT’s initial projection of 25. This is highly significant for the players, as they earn in dollars while spending in reais, in addition to competing in front of their home crowd.
According to Alexandre Farias, president of the Brazilian Tennis Confederation (CBT), the goal is to match this year’s number of events in 2026 – or perhaps surpass it once again. And there is no better way to start the season than with a major tournament in Itajaí and at Itamirim, which has excellent professionals, some of them part of the CBT staff, and a remarkable track record in developing tennis at the national, state and regional levels.
“We are wrapping up a magical 2025 for the Brazilian Tennis Confederation and hope 2026 will be even better. I thank the municipality for its important support. If we can continue to rely on this support, as well as on the federations and promoters, for the growth of tennis in Brazil at all levels, we will surpass this number in 2026,” said Farias.
“Another major event is coming to Itajaí, and tennis is in the city’s DNA thanks to the great training center that is Itamirim. We know an event like this boosts the local economy, and I hope it will be the first of many. We want to place Itajaí on the international tennis calendar,” said Mayor Robison Coelho, who has been working to build public tennis courts across the city.
The Itajaí Open will be held during the summer season on the Santa Catarina coast, which is expected to significantly increase attendance and stimulate the region’s hotel and restaurant sectors. Admission to all matches will be free.
