Sumit Nagal calls Bengaluru his second home, fondly recalling his memories of winning his first-ever ATP Challenger title here at the same event back in 2017.
Credit: DH FILE PHOTO
Bengaluru: International events have largely kept their distance from Garden City ever since the heartbreaking RCB trophy celebration stampede. Since then, not a single international cricket match has unfolded in front of a packed crowd, or a crowd for that matter, with even Virat Kohli’s recent masterful hundred coming behind closed doors. For a city like Bengaluru that silence has been loud and a bit strange too.
Yet, amid all this hush, tennis has held its ground. While other sports paused and waited, the Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association (KSLTA) pushed on as they are ready to host its third international event in just two months.
After pulling off an entertaining Billie Jean King Cup and the World Tennis League, the Bengaluru Open now returns for a special 10th edition. Slotted as an upgraded ATP 125 Challenger event, it kicks off the 2026 season, right before India’s top players pack their bags for a gruelling 30-35 weeks on tour, chasing ranking points across continents, airports and different time zones.
"There's a reason it has reached its 10th edition," said Saketh Myneni while speaking to the media. "I have got to thank KSLTA for providing a tournament like this at the beginning of the year. It sets the tone for the rest of the year and nothing like doing it in front of the home fans."
For India’s leading singles player Sumit Nagal, the Bengaluru Open comes at a crucial time. After a rough 2025 that saw him slide over 150 places to world No. 275, the 28-year-old Haryana man has been looking for a reset and Bengaluru offered exactly that. Following the WTL, Nagal spent the last two weeks training in a city he openly calls his second home.
"Bangalore means a lot to me as I won my first Challenger title here in 2017," said Nagal. "I have always stated this is one of the best challenger tournaments in the world and the relationship I have with Sunil sir (Sunil Yajaman, KSLTA official), feels like I am coming back home. A lot of (crowd) support for us here and feels great whenever the crowd gets behind you, something you don't often get for the rest of the tour."
If Bengaluru feels like a second home for some, for Prajwal Dev it’s simply his backyard. The Mysuru-born wildcard entrant comes in riding confidence after his ITF World Tennis Tour M15 success in Bhubaneswar last month. Ranked world No. 629, Prajwal is keeping things simple as he refuses to let the occasion weigh him down too much.
History, however, hasn’t been too kind to Indian players here as none managed to get past the first round last year. The tournament hasn't seen an Indian singles champion since 2018 when Prajnesh Gunneswaran lifted the title by defeating Saketh in an all-Indian final.
The story could be no different this season too with world No. 95 Spaniard Pedro Martinez entering the tournament as the only player in double digits of ATP ranking spread. The 2021 French Open semifinalist, however, hasn't been in the best of form in the hard-court season of 2025 with multiple early exits, including Cincinnati Masters and US Open, since his third-round exit at the hands of Jannik Sinner at Wimbledon.
France's Harold Mayot (ATP No. 163) may sense his opportunity as the second-highest-ranked entrant and may have to take on Nagal as early as the second round with the 23-year-old French winning their last and only face-off in straight sets last year.
But Dakshineshwar Suresh believes this time could be different for the Indians, given their familiarity with the bouncy SM Krishna Tennis Stadium courts as he confidently throws down a challenge.
"Most of us got a favourable draw and with Sumit already been training here while for Prajwal it's home court. I played here last month as well so all of us are accustomed to the conditions, let's see which of one of us come at the top," said Suresh.
Win or lose, the Bengaluru Open feels less about results this week and more about a city slowly finding its sporting voice again, one rally at a time.