Come November 20, the tennis fans in the State will witness the beginning of a new era, as Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association (KSLTA) had promised. From November 20 to 25, the city will host a $100,000+hospitality ATP Challenger Tournament in Bengaluru Open, in which players from 20 countries, including India’s top singles players, will participate.

The refurbished Bengaluru Open will be co-sponsored by Karnataka Tourism (KT), which aims at making the city a tourism destination using sports. The KSLTA and the KT are also mulling over making the event a permanent fixture in the ATP Challenger Tour.

There would be a draw of 32, with 22 players earning a direct entry while there would be four wild cards, four qualifiers and two from the special exempted category. Qualifiers will start on November 18.  The top seed is Slovakian Blaz Kavcic, who was ranked 99th as on October 30. With the updated ranking points, Moldova’s Radu Albot (86) will be the top player in the event.

As many as three Indians —Yuki Bhambri (140), who is the top-ranked amongst the hosts, Ramkumar Ramanathan (148) and Prajnesh Gunneswaran (255), all a part of the Indian Davis Cup team — have made it to the main draw.  Sumit Nagal, Saketh Myneni and N. Sriram Balaji are the other notable Indians. Doubles would be a keenly contested affair as Divij Sharan and Olympian Vishnu Vardhan would be in action.

Mysuru lads Suraj R. Prabodh and S.D. Prajwal Dev will also be part of the action in the men’s section.