ALICANTE, March 29, 2018

Organizers of the Ferrero Challenger Open, the first edition of the €43,000 ATP Challenger event held from 31 March to 7 April 2018 at the JC Ferrero Equelite Sport Academy in Villena, announced the wild cards for the tournament’s main draw.

Three-time ATP World Tour champion Pablo Andújar will be joined by local favourite Carlos Boluda-Purkiss, who practices at the tennis academy of former World No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero. With former World No. 170 Javier Martí and young gun and current Wimbledon Juniors champion, Alejandro Davidovich, two more Spaniards were awarded direct entry into the 32-man-draw.

Lorenzi highest ranked player

The line-up is led by World No. 55 Paolo Lorenzi. The 36-year-old Italian opened the season by reaching the quarterfinals of the ATP 250 event in Sydney. He will try to capture his first title since lifting the ATP Challenger trophy in Caltanissetta last year.

Lorenzi will be joined by fellow top 100 player Roberto Carballés Baena. The World No. 79 clinched his maiden ATP World Tour title earlier this season at the Ecuador Open in Quito. Carballés Baena has joined the JC Ferrero Equelite Sport Academy in summer last year and is coached by Fran Martinez. His physical trainer is Jose Luis Molina.

Seven more Spaniards will enter the main draw directly including former top 10 players Tommy Robredo and Nicolas Almagro. #NextGenATP local favourites Carlos Taberner and Jaume Munar will join the veterans.

Guardian del Ágora

Joao Sousa and Juan Carlos Ferrero during the Valencia Open 2015

The champion of the tournament will receive the “Guardian del Ágora”, a work of the sculptor Vicente Chambo. The trophy was awarded to the winner of the Valencia Open, which was part of the ATP World Tour until 2015.

Former champions include Joao Sousa (2015), Andy Murray (2009, 2014), David Ferrer (2008, 2010 and 2012), Marcel Granollers (2011) and Nicolas Almagro (2006, 2007).