02 September 2025

QNB Istanbul Challenger 77th TED Open Begins

Türkiye's most established tennis tournament brings together the stars of the tennis world in Istanbul for the 77th time.

The 77th TED Open – Istanbul Challenger, organized under the title sponsorship of QNB, will take place in Istanbul between September 1 and 7. The final of the tournament will be held on Sunday, September 7, preceded by a special exhibition match featuring world-renowned tennis player Mansour Bahrami. The tournament will conclude with an awards ceremony following the final match.

Hosted by the Istanbul Tennis Fencing Mountaineering Club, the tournament is Turkey's oldest international sporting event. Known in the international tennis community as the “Star-Making Tournament,” the TED Open – Istanbul Challenger holds a prestigious place in the ATP Challenger calendar. This year, Turkish tennis players Çağan Efe Tüfekçi, Mert Alkaya, Gökberk Sarıtaş, Bora Şengül, Arda Azkara, S.Mert Özdemir, Mert Naci Türker, Kaya Arınç, and Koray Kırcı will compete in the tournament, alongside elite players from the world rankings.

The tournament's traditional opening press conference was held on Tuesday, September 2, at the Hilton Istanbul Maslak. The conference was attended by Şafak Müderrisgil, President of the Turkish Tennis Federation; Prof. Dr. Mehmet Tınaz, President of TED Sports Club; Feyyaz Bıçak, Director of QNB Turkey High Net Worth and Wealth Management; Vuslat Dağlı, General Manager of Hilton Istanbul Maslak; Melis Yafe, Tournament Director; and tennis player Koray Kırcı, who is competing in the tournament.

In his speech at the press conference, Turkish Tennis Federation President Şafak Müderrisgil said: "We are here together at the press conference for the QNB Istanbul Challenger 77th TED Open Tennis Tournament, which holds a historic place in Turkish tennis. Held regularly since 1946, the Istanbul Challenger is one of the most established tournaments not only in our country but also in world tennis. The fact that the Istanbul Challenger is among the nine ATP Challenger tournaments held continuously and traditionally around the world demonstrates the stability and quality of this organization."

Beyond being an important event for Turkish tennis, this tournament also serves as a significant stepping stone for Turkish tennis players in their careers. As the host country, we can grant our athletes direct entry through wild cards. Competing in an event of this caliber, which they would not be able to reach without climbing the world rankings, is extremely important for the development of our young players and represents a significant opportunity. The fact that our nine athletes competing this year will be playing in this prestigious tournament will also enable them to earn points and climb the world rankings. Facing strong opponents will both improve their playing skills and give them the opportunity to showcase themselves.

The QNB Istanbul Challenger 77th TED Open Tennis Tournament is one of the most important building blocks shaping the future of Turkish tennis. I would like to thank TED Sports Club, which has been carrying out this mission uninterrupted for 77 years, for their valuable contributions to Turkish tennis. We are also grateful to our tournament's main sponsor, QNB, and all other sponsors for standing by Turkish tennis."

TED Sports Club President Prof. Dr. Mehmet Tınaz: "As TED Sports Club, we are proud and delighted to be hosting this tournament again this year. In this regard, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to our sponsors QNB, Hilton, Saka Su, and Teknofiber for their support. In addition, all members of TED Sports Club are doing their utmost to make this tournament happen. The Turkish Tennis Federation and ATP Tour are also supporting our tournament in every way, both materially and morally, and I thank them as well. Hopefully, this year will also be a great tournament with a great final. With the strength we gain from this, we will take steps towards even bigger organizations next year, which will mark the 90th anniversary of our club."

Feyyaz Bıçak, Director of QNB Turkey High Net Worth and Wealth Management, made the following statement about the tournament: "At QNB, we continue our efforts to bring sports activities, which have a positive impact on personal and physical development, to a wider audience. With our support for the Istanbul Challenger TED Open, we aim to contribute to the spread of tennis and the development of new talents who will inspire our youth. We know that this tournament is not just about sporting competition, but also represents the spirit of friendship and sportsmanship. Therefore, we are proud to be part of this meaningful event."

Hilton Istanbul Maslak Hotel Manager Vuslat Dağlı: "As Hilton Istanbul Maslak, we are delighted to provide accommodation support for the QNB Istanbul Challenger - TED Open International Tennis Tournament hosted by TED this year. As with all our guests, we have made all the necessary preparations to welcome the athletes participating in the QNB Istanbul Challenger - TED Open International Tennis Tournament in the best possible way and to convey our country's hospitality in the best possible way. I would like to thank the entire organization team, the federation, and the sponsoring organizations for their efforts in organizing the tournament."

A 77-year tradition, a meeting point for world stars

Held continuously since 1946, TED Open – Istanbul Challenger is Turkey's only international tennis tournament that has been held without interruption. The tournament, considered one of the most prestigious in the ATP Challenger series, was awarded the “Challenger Award” in 2003. It achieved the same success in 2004, but due to the ATP's policy of not awarding the prize to the same tournament consecutively, the organization was honored in writing.

To date, major names in world tennis such as Ilie Nastase, Roy Emerson, Richard Gasquet, Robin Söderling, Goran Ivanisevic, Andrei Rublev, and Karen Khachanov have competed on the tournament courts. This year, elite players from the national and international arenas will take to the courts in Istanbul to compete for the championship.

02 September 2025