QUITO/STARNBERG, June 27, 2026
Professional tennis is returning to Ecuador’s capital as the Challenger de Quito Copa Banco Guayaquil makes its long-awaited comeback after a five-year absence. The ATP Challenger Tour event will be held from 28 June to 5 July 2026 at Club Rancho San Francisco, with players competing on clay courts for a prize purse of $63,000 and 50 ATP Ranking points awarded to the singles champion.
Tournament director Andres Gomez welcomed the return of the event during the official launch.
“It is very important to have Quito back on the ATP Challenger Tour calendar,” Gomez said. “The Challenger circuit features long tournament swings, creating a great opportunity not only for Ecuadorian players but for competitors from across the region. These tournaments are often the first step towards the biggest events in world tennis, and many of today’s top players began their journeys on the Challenger Tour.”
Co-tournament director Luis Adrian Morejon, who has organised the Guayaquil Challenger alongside Gomez since 2005, expressed his hope that the Quito event will become a long-term fixture on the international calendar.
“Our goal is to build a solid project and remain in Quito for many years, just as we have done in Guayaquil, where we have celebrated 21 editions. We hope this will be the first of 30 tournaments in Quito. We are extremely grateful for the support of Club Rancho San Francisco and our sponsors, especially in a year when many marketing budgets have already been allocated because of the FIFA World Cup.”
Todo listo para nuestro #ChallengerdeQuito 🇪🇨 Copa @BancoGuayaquil
Hoy se realizó la rueda de prensa final con sponsors.
Los esperamos desde este lunes 29 de junio en el Club Rancho San Francisco.
Entrada libre. pic.twitter.com/JWfLDiO1qf— challengeruio (@challengeruio) June 26, 2026
International Field Representing Nine Nations
The main draw will feature players from nine different countries: Ecuador, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Peru and the United States.
Among the leading names are Colombia’s Daniel Galan, a former world No. 56, and Peru’s Juan Pablo Varillas, who reached a career-high ranking of No. 60 three years ago. Both players have enjoyed success on the Grand Slam stage and add significant experience to the field.
Strong Support for Ecuadorian Tennis
Demonstrating its commitment to developing local talent, the tournament has awarded all of its wild cards to Ecuadorian players.
Angel Veliz, Mario Galarraga and Felipe Rivadeneira have received direct entry into the main draw, while Martin Maldonado, Lucas Yunez and Jorge Ruiz will compete in the qualifying tournament.
Mario Miranda, General Manager of Club Rancho San Francisco, highlighted the significance of bringing the tournament back to Quito.
“Tennis has always been an important part of our club’s history. Hosting the return of the Quito Challenger is not only a source of pride, but also an opportunity for everyone involved to help make this event a success.”
Banco Guayaquil, the tournament’s title sponsor, also reaffirmed its commitment to supporting sport in Ecuador.
“Supporting sport is a key part of our mission because it promotes growth and development for both athletes and the country’s economy,” said Andrea Játiva, Digital Marketing and Sierra Region Manager at Banco Guayaquil. “International tournaments such as this provide an outstanding platform for Ecuador and for tennis.”
