OLBIA/STARNBERG, October 4, 2026

From Flavio Cobolli and Mattia Bellucci to Pablo Carreno Busta, Luca Van Assche and Federico Cina, numerous international players have passed through Sardinia on their way to the top of professional tennis. The fourth edition of the Olbia Challenger is now ready to add another chapter to that story.

The ATP Challenger 125, organised by MEF Tennis Events in cooperation with Tennis Club Terranova, was officially presented at the club that will host the tournament from October 11 to 18. Once again, the event promises a week of high-level international tennis while also serving as a showcase for the city of Olbia and the island of Sardinia.

The presentation was attended by Olbia’s Councillor for Local Police, Civil Protection, Sport and Youth Policies, Elena Casu; Italian Tennis and Padel Federation president Angelo Binaghi, who joined remotely; Tennis Club Terranova president Giuseppe Bianco; Sardinian regional councillor Roberto Franco Michele Li Gioi; tournament director Andrea Frasconi; Sky presenter and author Stefano Meloccaro; and MEF Tennis Events managing director Marcello Marchesini.

Binaghi: “Olbia Challenger is an example”

Opening the press conference, FITP president Angelo Binaghi praised Tennis Club Terranova for the work behind the event and highlighted the importance of bringing international tennis closer to local communities.

“This is the right way to grow tennis,” Binaghi said. “Excellent social and competitive activity is not enough. We also need to bring the community closer to major international tennis, because the spirit of emulation is fundamental, especially at a time when Italian tennis is playing such a leading role everywhere.”

Binaghi also stressed the importance of Challenger tournaments in developing young Italian players and providing them with opportunities to climb the world rankings.

“These tournaments allow our young tennis players to enter the higher levels of the world rankings more easily, and we are putting a great deal of emphasis on them because they are part of a system that is proving very successful. So successful, in fact, that many countries want to take inspiration from it.”

As he did last year, Binaghi confirmed that he plans to attend the final stages of the tournament in Olbia.

Casu: “The impact on the city is incredible”

Olbia’s Councillor Elena Casu underlined the importance of the event for the city and thanked everyone involved in its development since the inaugural edition.

“Every year, it is important to thank all the parties who contribute to the growth of the Olbia Challenger,” Casu said. “Marcello Marchesini and MEF Tennis Events, together with Tennis Club Terranova, believed in what initially seemed like a dream.”

She also highlighted the tournament’s contribution beyond sport, particularly its role in extending the tourist season.

“The impact that the event has on the city is incredible and, together with the rest of the offer provided by the municipality, fits perfectly with our goal of extending the summer season.”

Bianco: “It still feels like the first time”

For Tennis Club Terranova president Giuseppe Bianco, the excitement surrounding the tournament remains unchanged despite this already being the fourth edition.

“Every year the club is renewed and prepared for the Olbia Challenger. It is our fourth year, but the emotions remain the same,” Bianco said.

He was particularly pleased that the event has developed into more than just a tennis tournament.

“I like the fact that the tournament is also becoming a cultural occasion and an attraction for all the citizens of Olbia and beyond. I have to thank MEF Tennis Events, whose entire team helps enrich our club and prepares it for the players and the public.”

Bianco also acknowledged the support of the local and regional authorities, stressing that staging tennis of this level in Olbia would not be possible without them.

Li Gioi: “We are living a dream”

Sardinian regional councillor Roberto Franco Michele Li Gioi described the tournament as a project that has grown steadily through the commitment of its organisers and volunteers.

“Step by step, with great determination, the group of volunteers and organisers has made the Olbia Challenger take flight, and I am proud of that,” he said.

Li Gioi also emphasised the event’s wider importance for the island, describing it as a combination of sport, culture, gastronomy and tourism.

“As the Region of Sardinia, we strongly believe in supporting the event, both now and in the years to come, because it represents something very important for our island. For us, it is a dream that has come true.”

Meloccaro: “At Challengers, you see the people who truly love tennis”

Stefano Meloccaro, one of the most recognisable tennis voices in Italy, spoke about the special role Challenger tournaments play in the sport’s ecosystem.

“We all share a great passion for tennis,” he said, recalling how fans become attached to players at every level, from club and Serie A2 competition to the biggest stars in the world.

Challenger events form an essential bridge between those levels.

“Everyone, including those who are now at the very top such as Jannik Sinner and Flavio Cobolli, has passed through tournaments like this. For that reason, they are simply indispensable to the global tennis landscape.”

Marchesini: “A very high level of tennis and great visibility”

MEF Tennis Events managing director Marcello Marchesini thanked the Municipality of Olbia and the Region of Sardinia for their continued support and praised the efforts made to ensure the tournament remains at a high standard.

“The ATP requires very high standards because this is an important tournament, and together we have once again succeeded in delivering, improving the facilities of a club that was already very well equipped,” Marchesini said.

He also revealed the significant international exposure the tournament will receive this year.

“There will be a lot of television coverage, on SuperTennis and DAZN, and this year we will even be live in 19 countries.”

Marchesini explained that MEF Tennis Events had worked extensively during the spring to retain the October date, which offers favourable conditions for attracting a strong entry list.

The company’s broader ambition, he added, is not only to organise high-level tennis but also to promote the destinations in which its tournaments are held.

“Our objective is always to promote the places where we organise our events, and we want to continue doing that in Sardinia for many more seasons.”

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