{"id":99328,"date":"2026-03-10T06:15:08","date_gmt":"2026-03-10T10:15:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/?p=99328"},"modified":"2026-03-10T01:56:34","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T05:56:34","slug":"hubert-hurkacz-and-nuno-borges-highlight-first-atp-challenger-175s-of-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/2026\/03\/10\/hubert-hurkacz-and-nuno-borges-highlight-first-atp-challenger-175s-of-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Hubert Hurkacz and Nuno Borges Highlight First ATP Challenger 175&#8217;s of 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/2026\/03\/06\/atp-challenger-tour-launches-new-youtube-channel\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">ATP Challenger<\/a> 175 category was introduced to allow more top players to participate on the ATP Challenger Tour during the two-week ATP Masters 1000 events. This limited run of events offers a <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/2025\/10\/25\/atp-challenger-tour-prize-money-record-2026\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">significant amount<\/a> of ranking points and some top-quality tennis from ambition players. This week the tournaments in Phoenix, United States and Cap Cana, Dominican Republic are on deck.<\/p>\n<h3>Arizona Tennis Classic Highlighted by Nuno Borges<\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Arizona Tennis Classic brings ranked tennis players to the Valley\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/VRu8pspafNY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>The field at the Arizona Tennis Classic features four top 50 players and every seed is ranked in the top 75.<\/p>\n<p>Corentin Moutet could face his countryman Quentin Halys in the second round, though Moutet has been struggling this season and is seeking from, his lone highlight being a third round result at the Australian Open. The first section also features Brisbane quarterfinalist <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/2025\/08\/29\/kamil-majchrzak-grand-slam-revival\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">Kamil Majchrzak<\/a> who leads Polish mens tennis now.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/2025\/12\/23\/nuno-borges-in-2025-solid-but-no-real-breakthrough\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">Nuno Borges<\/a> ranking is just inside the top 50 but he&#8217;ll be one of the favorites this tournament after a 6-8 start to 2026. American Marcos Giron, 8-7 on the year, is the likely quarterfinal opponent as the veteran keeps his ranking up by grinding events like this one.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"max-width: 610px\"><smartframe-embed class=\"smartframe_wp_element\" customer-id=\"b0c95bc04383cef69c6b47df872135cf\" image-id=\"WmOBjK0ddqie\" style=\"width: 100%; display: inline-flex; max-width: 4898px; aspect-ratio: 4898\/3265;\" ><\/smartframe-embed><\/p>\n<p>The third section of the draw has Montpellier finalist <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/2026\/02\/09\/biggest-movers-in-the-atp-top-100-this-week-including-adrian-mannarino-titouan-droguet\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">Adrian Mannarino<\/a>, a Challenger Tour legend at 37, but his fellow Frenchman <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/2025\/10\/02\/terence-atmane-shanghai-health-scare\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">Terence Atmane<\/a> is a big shotmaker and seeded 5th. They could meet in the quarterfinals.<\/p>\n<p>The final section of the draw is where a young <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/2024\/05\/28\/top-100-saga-of-bergs-ending-in-style\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">Zizou Bergs<\/a> leads a section loaded with capable players. Benjamin Bonzi, Santiago quarterfinalist Emilio Nava, and 21-year-old American Ethan Quinn are all here. The draw for the Arizona Tennis Classic is anyone&#8217;s to seize, and it&#8217;s challenging to predict a winner with so many quality early round matchups where upsets are possible.<\/p>\n<h3>Republica Dominicana Open Features Top 100 Seeds<\/h3>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"max-width: 610px\"><smartframe-embed class=\"smartframe_wp_element\" customer-id=\"b0c95bc04383cef69c6b47df872135cf\" image-id=\"WmOBzud3Mi1R\" style=\"width: 100%; display: inline-flex; max-width: 3359px; aspect-ratio: 3359\/2239;\" ><\/smartframe-embed><\/p>\n<p>All eight seeds at the Republica Domicana Open-Copa Cap Cana are top 100 players. The last direct entry was #115 in the world. After reaching the semifinals in Acapulco and winning a match in Indian Wells, <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/2026\/03\/02\/miomir-kecmanovic-a-player-to-watch-at-indian-wells\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">Miomir Kecmanovic<\/a> is the top seed, but he&#8217;s likely to face Mackenzie McDonald in round 2, an in-form qualifier from Indian Wells.<\/p>\n<p>Chile&#8217;s Nicolas Jarry got a wild card, he&#8217;s in desperate form at age 30, winless since Wimbledon, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.claytenis.com\/interviews\/ive-had-to-work-hard-on-accepting-my-problems-interview-with-nicolas-jarry\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">career in crisis<\/a> leaving his loyal fans in despair. Jarry has a winnable opening round match with a struggling <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/2025\/08\/11\/adam-walton-australias-next-tennis-sensation\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">Adam Walton<\/a>. IW qualifier Chun Hsin Tseng is also present in the first section.<\/p>\n<p>Section two has a lumbering <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/2026\/02\/23\/hurkacz-the-gentle-giant\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">Hubert Hurkacz<\/a> as the seed but 24-year-old <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/2025\/10\/18\/the-rise-of-raphael-collignon-brussels-semifinal-run-announces-his-arrival\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">Raphael Collignon<\/a>, who battled Joao Fonseca in Indian Wells, and only just lost a seven-match winning streak, is the favorite to reach the semifinals. Acapulco quarterfinalist Mattia Bellucci, IW qualifier Francesco Maestrelli (23), and another IW qualifier, Tristan Schoolkate are also present.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"max-width: 610px\"><smartframe-embed class=\"smartframe_wp_element\" customer-id=\"b0c95bc04383cef69c6b47df872135cf\" image-id=\"WmOB36ONSuP7\" style=\"width: 100%; display: inline-flex; max-width: 4319px; aspect-ratio: 4319\/2879;\" ><\/smartframe-embed><\/p>\n<p>The third section features IW qualifier Dalibor Svrcina against Cristian Garin in round 1. The favorite here is likely <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/2025\/12\/15\/atp-next-gen-finals-alexander-blockx\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">Alexander Blockx<\/a>, the talented young Belgian, with Damir Dzumhur the #3 seed, a reliable veteran.<\/p>\n<p>Section 4 has the famous name of David Goffin, but he&#8217;s winless this year, against another blast from the past, 37-year-old Roberto Bautista Agut in round 1. 22-year-old Shintaro Mochizuki is also yet to get off the mark in 2026, while Valentin Royer, who was fantastic on the Challenger Tour in 2025, is the #2 seed. With a number of bigger names struggling heading into this tournament, the Cap Cana Challenger could produce an unexpected winner.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Regresa el Rep\u00fablica Dominicana Open ATP 175 Copa Cap Cana\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/2wgSWxwKaiQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>If you&#8217;re not a typical watcher of the ATP Challenger Tour, this will be a good week to tune in.<\/p>\n<p>Main Photo Credit: Jonathan Hui-USA TODAY Sports<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The ATP Challenger 175 category was introduced to allow more top players to participate on the ATP Challenger Tour during the two-week ATP Masters 1000 events. This limited run of events offers a significant amount of ranking points and some top-quality tennis from ambition players. This week the tournaments in Phoenix, United States and Cap [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1442,"featured_media":65888,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8552,2],"tags":[1877,41701,18,3188,10889,6340,16608,230,18070,2400,4359,986,15250,18766,447,12932],"class_list":["post-99328","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-atp-challenger-tour","category-featured","tag-adrian-mannarino","tag-alexander-blockx","tag-atp","tag-atp-challenger-tour","tag-benjamin-bonzi","tag-corentin-moutet","tag-dalibor-svrcina","tag-david-goffin","tag-ethan-quinn","tag-mackenzie-mcdonald","tag-miomir-kecmanovic","tag-nicolas-jarry","tag-nuno-borges","tag-raphael-collignon","tag-roberto-bautista-agut","tag-zizou-bergs"],"modified_by":"Steen Kirby","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99328","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1442"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=99328"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99328\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":99333,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99328\/revisions\/99333"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/65888"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=99328"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=99328"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=99328"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}