PAU/STARNBERG, September 5, 2026
The Palais des Sports de Pau will once again become the centre of international tennis when the ninth edition of the Teréga Open Pau-Pyrénées takes place from February 7–14, 2027. In just a few years, the tournament has grown into one of the region’s major sporting events and established itself as a leading stop on the ATP Challenger Tour, earning strong support from players, long-standing partners and the local public.
Founded in 2019 at the initiative of former professional player Jeremy Chardy, who continues to serve as tournament director, the Teréga Open Pau-Pyrénées is an ATP Challenger 125 event featuring a high-quality international field. Each year, the tournament attracts players ranked from around No. 50 in the world and beyond, all competing for valuable ATP ranking points in their pursuit of a place at the sport’s biggest events.
The ATP Challenger Tour plays a crucial role in professional tennis as the pathway to the elite level. It provides young talents with an opportunity to showcase their potential while giving established players a platform to reignite their careers and climb back up the rankings.
Since its inaugural edition, the Teréga Open Pau-Pyrénées has welcomed numerous players who have gone on to establish themselves among the world’s best. Alexander Bublik, currently ranked No. 11 in the world, and Jiri Lehecka, No. 12, have both competed at the Palais des Sports de Pau. The tournament has also featured the leading names of French tennis, including Arthur Fils (No. 24), Ugo Humbert (No. 28) and Arthur Rinderknech (No. 29). Other members of the current Top 50 have also made their mark in Béarn before going on to make their breakthrough on the international stage.
The Pau crowd has also had the chance to watch some of the biggest names of the previous generation of French tennis, including Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Richard Gasquet, Gilles Simon and Lucas Pouille.
The tournament is also a perfect illustration of the developmental role played by the Challenger Tour. Belgian Raphael Collignon won the event in both 2024 and 2025 and has since continued his remarkable rise, reaching a career-high No. 38 in the ATP rankings. His progression underlines the Teréga Open Pau-Pyrénées’ ability to showcase the stars of tomorrow and provide them with an important platform on their journey towards the top of the sport.
For one week, the Palais des Sports de Pau will once again be transformed into a dedicated tennis arena. Opened in 1991, the venue has become an iconic sporting facility in the region and regularly hosts major national and international events. Alongside tennis, it welcomes top-level basketball and handball competitions, providing a fitting stage for the Teréga Open Pau-Pyrénées and contributing to the sporting appeal of the Pau Béarn Pyrénées metropolitan area.
With more than 20,000 spectators attending each year, the tournament has long since developed into much more than a tennis competition. It has become a major gathering point for fans, partners, businesses and institutions, with a programme of activities, meetings and events complementing the action on court throughout the week.
The tournament will get under way on Sunday, February 7, with the singles qualifying competition. A full week of singles and doubles action will then follow at the Palais des Sports and Tennis Club de Pau, culminating in the singles final on Sunday, February 14, when Raphael Collignon’s successor will be crowned.
