Organizers Of ATP Challenger Mons Announce End Of The Tournament

Ethias Trohy Mons

MONS, April 21, 2017

The organizers of the Ethias Trophy in Mons, a three time winner of the ATP Challenger of the Year Award, announced Tuesday the end of the tournament, which had been played on indoor hard court since 2005.

The event struggled for financial reasons and launched a crowdfunding campaign on March 14th. However, the ambitious goal to raise €400,000 in order to safe the tournament failed. The tournament needed to gain €200,000 euros from the crowdfunding and also had to find a sponsor being able to double the stake.

The prospect of a sponsorship of €280,000 was held out, but only 258 donors for a total sum of €12,066 could be found. The money will now be paid to ASBL Hopiness, a non-profit-organization that aims to provide young sports talents who lack sufficient financial resources with effective, professional human support.

“Getting €292,066 in only one month, that’s an enormous sum. It’s not the €400,000 we needed to achieve, but it is huge. Nonetheless, in the end it is not enough,” tournament manager Gaëtan Jacquemin stated in a press release.

Ethias Trophy Singles Champions

Year Champion Runner-up Score
2016 Germany Jan-Lennard Struff France Vincent Millot 6–2, 6–0
2015 Ukraine Illya Marchenko Germany Benjamin Becker 6–2, 6–7(8–10), 6–4
2014 Belgium David Goffin Belgium Steve Darcis 6–3, 6–3
2013 Czech Republic Radek Štěpánek Netherlands Igor Sijsling 6–3, 7–5
2012 France Kenny de Schepper France Michaël Llodra 7–6(9–7), 4–6, 7–6(7–4)
2011 Italy Andreas Seppi France Julien Benneteau 2–6, 6–3, 7–6(7–4)
2010 France Adrian Mannarino Belgium Steve Darcis 7–5, 6–2
2009 Serbia Janko Tipsarević Ukraine Sergiy Stakhovsky 7–6(4), 6–3
2008 Russia Teymuraz Gabashvili France Édouard Roger-Vasselin 6–4, 6–4
2007 Latvia Ernests Gulbis Belgium Kristof Vliegen 7–5, 6–3
2006 Serbia Janko Tipsarević United Kingdom Alex Bogdanovic 6–4, 1–6, 6–2
2005 Belgium Olivier Rochus Belgium Xavier Malisse 6–2, 6–0