The yachts are leaving. One by one, the port empties out, the terraces thin, and the village breathes again. It is exactly at this point, every year since 2021, that the Saint-Tropez Open moves in. As if tennis had been waiting, politely, for the crowds to clear.
The tournament runs on the ATP Challenger Tour and takes place at the Pierre-Philippot municipal tennis centre, on hard courts. No glamour to speak of, just professionals grinding for ranking points and a pay cheque. Last year's edition saw Tunisian Moez Echargui take the title, beating Frenchman Dan Added 6-3, 6-4 in a clean, no-nonsense final.
The 2026 draw is still taking shape, but the format holds: a field of international Challenger-level players, a healthy French contingent, and that mild absurdity of a village better known for rosé and superyachts hosting a proper professional tennis tournament for a week.
For Tropéziens who stick around after the season, it is a genuine chance to watch high-level tennis at the edge of the place des Lices without driving anywhere. Not many villages can say that. Sauf que most of them don't have a municipal court quite like this one.
