PAU/STARNBERG, January 20, 2026
With a field combining proven headliners, former champions and some of the brightest young talents on the ATP Challenger Tour, the eighth edition of the Teréga Open Pau-Pyrénées is shaping up to be as competitive as it is exciting.
Two former champions will return to Pau, led by defending titleholder Raphael Collignon (No. 72). The 24-year-old Belgian enjoyed an outstanding 2025 season, capturing two Challenger titles and reaching the semifinals of the ATP 250 in Brussels. He also made a strong impression on the international stage, reaching the third round of the US Open with a memorable win over Casper Ruud. In Davis Cup competition, Collignon played a key role in Belgium’s qualification for the Finals, defeating Alex de Minaur in an epic match before overcoming Corentin Moutet in the quarterfinals to seal a historic victory over France — Belgium’s first in 28 years. Seeded No. 1 in Pau, Collignon has already claimed two Top-50 wins in early 2026, defeating Denis Shapovalov and Grigor Dimitrov in Brisbane.
Another familiar name for the Pau crowd, Luca Van Assche (No. 165), returns after lifting the trophy in 2023 following the longest final in Challenger Tour history — a three-hour-56-minute battle against Ugo Humbert. The former world No. 63 once again enters the draw as a natural outsider.
Among the seeded players, Alexander Blockx (No. 96) represents the new Belgian wave. Just 20 years old and standing 1.93 meters tall, Blockx has won three Challenger titles over the past 12 months, including Canberra in early January, and reached the final of the ATP Next Gen Finals last December.
Kazakhstan’s Alexander Shevchenko (No. 97), a former world No. 45, will make his debut at the Teréga Open Pau-Pyrénées. The 25-year-old recently reached the quarterfinals of the ATP 250 in Adelaide and will be looking to regain momentum after a more uneven 2025 campaign.
The French contingent will be led by Benjamin Bonzi (No. 106), who won the doubles title in Pau in 2020. Champion of the ATP 250 in Metz in 2024, Bonzi recorded two high-profile victories in 2025 against Top-10 players Daniil Medvedev and Lorenzo Musetti.
Also returning is Pierre-Hugues Herbert (No. 157), making his fourth appearance at the Palais des Sports, bringing with him vast experience at the highest level. Harold Mayot (No. 159), Titouan Droguet (No. 155) and Ugo Blanchet (No. 142) complete a strong French delegation of six players.
The tournament will also showcase several of the most promising young players on the circuit. Italy’s Luca Nardi (No. 108), 22, will be one of the main attractions after entering history by becoming the lowest-ranked player to defeat Novak Djokovic, then world No. 1, at the 2024 Indian Wells Masters.
Norway’s Nicolai Budkov Kjaer (No. 135), just 19 years old, continues his rapid rise after reaching the semifinals of the ATP Next Gen Finals this winter and winning four Challenger titles in 2025 (Glasgow, Tampere, Astana and Mouilleron-le-Captif).
Germany’s Justin Engel (No. 184), 18, currently the youngest player inside the Top 300, and Spain’s Martin Landaluce (No. 149), 20, round out a young, deep and highly competitive field.
At this stage, 21 of the 32 players in the main draw are confirmed. The remaining spots will be filled by six qualifiers, two potential special exempts — players reaching the semifinals of another event the previous week — and three wild cards, completing a line-up that promises an enthralling week of tennis in Pau.
