The 2026 Eugene Investment & Securities Seoul Open Challenger is set to begin on October 25 at the Olympic Park Tennis Courts in Songpa-gu, Seoul, featuring 2014 US Open champion Marin Čilić alongside South Korean national standouts Kwon Soon-woo and Chung Hyeon, according to reports from Yonhap News Agency.
Seoul Open Returns to ATP Challenger 125 Status With Record Prize Pool
Marking its 10th anniversary, the tournament runs from the qualifying rounds on October 25 through the singles final on November 1, 2026. Organizers upgraded the event to an ATP Challenger 125 tier, returning to the classification last held in 2023. The total prize fund reaches an all-time tournament high of 225,000달러 (approximately 3억3천만원). The singles champion will collect 3만3천650달러 in prize money along with 125 ATP ranking points. The direct acceptance list for the main draw, announced by the ATP on October 7, features nine players ranked between 80th and 120th in the world.
Marin Čilić Headlines International Entry List Alongside Defending Champion
The field is anchored by Croatia’s Marin Čilić, a former world No. 3 and 21-time ATP Tour title winner who currently holds the No. 80 ranking. Defending singles champion Sho Shimabukuro of Japan (No. 109) returns to defend his crown, joined by China’s Bu Yunchaokete (No. 93), who won the Seoul title in 2023. Other notable international entrants include Hong Kong’s Coleman Wong (No. 101), the reigning Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games men’s singles gold medalist and last year’s tournament runner-up, and Wu Yibing (No. 113), the first Chinese male player to win an ATP Tour singles title. French left-hander Terence Atmane (No. 99), a Cincinnati Masters semifinalist last year, also joins the main draw.
Young Contenders Target Next Gen Finals Qualification in Seoul
Japanese 20-year-old Rei Sakamoto (No. 137) and 19-year-old Jan Kumstát of the Czech Republic (No. 191) arrive in Seoul with sights set on the ATP Next Gen Finals in Italy this December, which showcases the top eight players aged 20 and under. As of October 5, Sakamoto sat seventh and Kumstát tenth in the qualification race. With just 75 points separating positions four through ten, the 125 ranking points awarded to the Seoul Open winner serve as a critical factor in the season-ending race.
Kwon Soon-woo and Chung Hyeon Lead Korean Challenger Campaign
Among domestic competitors, Kwon Soon-woo (No. 161) targets his first Seoul Open title in seven years, aiming to add to a career that includes two ATP Tour singles titles and a peak ranking of No. 52. Chung Hyeon (No. 558), who reached the semifinals of the 2018 Australian Open, enters through the qualifying draw. Chung must win two matches across the October 25–26 qualifying schedule to secure a main-draw berth. Meanwhile, 17-year-old Cho Min-hyuk of Namwon Base SC earned a main-draw wildcard by winning the domestic junior qualifying tournament. October 25 is designated as “Korean Players’ Day,” featuring a match schedule heavily weighted toward local competitors. Singles main-draw action commences on October 26, followed by the semifinals on October 31 and the championship match on November 1.
Seoul Tennis Association Prepares Olympic Park Venue for Autumn Event
Kim Eun-sun, president of the Seoul Tennis Association, stated that the tournament aims to provide weekend tennis enthusiasts with an opportunity to observe world-class competition up close while establishing the Olympic Park Tennis Center as a premier autumn tennis festival in the capital.
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