The 13th edition of the Open de Vendée at the Vendéspace in Mouilleron-le-Captif, France, marked a shift in scheduling on Monday, September 28, as the tournament introduced two matches after 7 p.m. to its opening rounds. The day’s competition, which spanned both qualifying rounds and the start of the main draw, saw high-profile exits and lengthy endurance tests for the tournament’s top seeds.
Sascha Gueymard Wayenburg defeats Pierre-Hugues Herbert
The headline clash of the evening featured a battle between experience and rising talent, as late tournament entry Sascha Gueymard Wayenburg secured a victory over Pierre-Hugues Herbert. Gueymard Wayenburg, who entered the draw as a last-minute addition, defeated the Frenchman in straight sets, 6-4, 7-5. For Herbert, the loss represents an early exit in a tournament where he has previously found success, having won the event in 2014. His return to the Vendéspace twelve years later ended in the opening round of the main draw.
Clément Tabur survives three-hour marathon against Matteo Martineau
While the first evening match concluded in straight sets, the second contest pushed well past midnight. Clément Tabur, the tournament’s No. 4 seed and the highest-ranked French player in the field, required three hours to overcome Matteo Martineau. The back-and-forth encounter ended 7-6, 6-7, 6-3 in favor of Tabur. This match, which concluded at approximately 12:30 a.m., highlighted the tournament’s new programming strategy, which expanded the evening schedule from one match to two.
Tournament field blends youth and experience
The current draw at the Open de Vendée continues to emphasize a mixture of seasoned professionals and emerging stars. Following the conclusion of the qualifying rounds on Sunday, September 27, 32 players moved into the main simple draw. Among those to watch is Nicolai Budkov Kjaer. The Norwegian, currently ranked 149th globally, returns to the court after winning in 2025 at 19 years old, when he became the youngest winner in the history of the tournament.
Upcoming schedule and event context
The tournament continues its main draw matches throughout the week at the Vendéspace. Following the completion of the Monday evening session, the schedule transitions into the next phase of the singles and doubles brackets. Players are competing for positioning in the 13th edition of this event, which remains a focal point for the French tennis circuit in the Vendée region. Fans and observers continue to track the progress of the remaining seeds as the competition advances toward the final rounds.
Related reading
