Geneva Open
The Geneva Open, officially known as the Gonet Geneva Open for sponsorship reasons, is an annual professional men's tennis tournament classified as an ATP 250 event on the ATP Tour.[1] It is played on outdoor red clay courts at the Tennis Club de Genève, located in the Parc des Eaux-Vives, the oldest and largest tennis club in Switzerland.[1] The tournament features a 28-player singles draw and a 16-team doubles draw, with a total prize money purse of €596,035, and is typically held in mid-to-late May as a key warm-up event for the French Open.[1] Originally launched in 1980 as part of the Grand Prix tennis circuit (the predecessor to the modern ATP Tour), the Geneva Open ran annually until 1991, exclusively on clay at the same venue, before a 24-year hiatus.[2] It was revived in 2015 and has since established itself as a prominent stop on the European clay-court swing, drawing elite players to fine-tune their game ahead of Roland Garros.[1] Swiss players have claimed victory on four occasions, underscoring the event's national significance in a country with a storied tennis heritage.[3] Among its most notable champions are Swiss stars Stan Wawrinka, who secured back-to-back titles in 2016 and 2017, and Marc Rosset in 1989; Norwegian Casper Ruud, the first three-time winner with triumphs in 2021, 2022, and 2024; and Serbian Novak Djokovic, who captured his record-extending 100th ATP Tour singles title in 2025 by defeating Hubert Hurkacz in a three-set final that lasted over three hours—the longest championship match in tournament history.[4][5] The doubles competition has also produced highlights, such as the 2025 victory by French duo Sadio Doumbia and Fabien Reboul, their fifth ATP title as a pair.[6]Overview
Tournament format and categories
The Geneva Open is an ATP 250 category tournament, the lowest tier in the ATP Tour's main draw series, emphasizing competitive play among professional men's tennis players in the lead-up to major clay-court events like the French Open.[1] Since its revival in 2015, it has maintained this classification, following a hiatus after its original run.[1] Historically, the event operated as part of the Grand Prix circuit from 1980 to 1989 and transitioned to the ATP Tour's World Series category (precursor to the modern ATP 250) for its final editions in 1990 and 1991.[7] The tournament employs a single-elimination format for both singles and doubles, ensuring efficient progression through the brackets with no round-robin elements.[1] All matches are contested in a best-of-three sets structure, standard for ATP 250 events, which promotes balanced competition while minimizing physical demands compared to best-of-five formats in higher-tier tournaments.[1] The singles main draw consists of 28 players, comprising 21 direct entrants based on ATP rankings, three wild cards awarded by organizers, and four qualifiers advancing from preliminary rounds.[8] The doubles draw features 16 teams, drawn from ranked pairs, wild cards, and protected rankings where applicable.[1] Qualifying rounds for singles involve a 16-player draw played over three rounds to determine the four main-draw spots, typically scheduled on the weekend immediately preceding the main event to allow seamless integration into the tournament week.[9]Sponsorship and prize money
The Gonet Geneva Open has been the title sponsor of the tournament since 2021, following an announcement in June 2020 by the event's organizers, Geneva Trophy Promotion Sàrl, partnering with the private bank Gonet & Cie SA.[10] This sponsorship reflects Gonet's commitment to supporting elite tennis in Geneva, enhancing the event's branding and financial stability as an ATP 250 tournament.[11] During its original run from 1980 to 1991, the tournament was known under different sponsor names, including the Martini Open until 1986 and the Barclay Open thereafter, though specific sponsorship details from that era are limited.[12] For the 2025 edition, the total prize money stands at €596,035, distributed across singles and doubles draws to reward player performance and participation.[9] In singles, the winner receives €90,675, the finalist €52,895, and semifinalists €31,090 each, with further tiers decreasing for earlier rounds to ensure equitable payouts. Doubles teams share prizes, with the champions splitting €31,530, finalists €16,940, and semifinalists €9,910. The following table outlines the full prize money distribution:| Round | Singles (€) | Doubles (€, per team) |
|---|---|---|
| Winner | 90,675 | 31,530 |
| Finalist | 52,895 | 16,940 |
| Semifinalist | 31,090 | 9,910 |
| Quarterfinalist | 18,015 | 5,500 |
| Round of 16 | 10,460 | 3,240 |
| Round of 32/28 | 6,390 | - |
History
Establishment and early years (1980–1991)
The Geneva Open was founded in 1980 as the Martini Open, marking Geneva's entry onto the professional men's tennis calendar as part of the Grand Prix circuit. Held annually on outdoor clay courts at the Tennis Club de Genève in the Parc des Eaux-Vives, the tournament quickly established itself as a key stop in the European clay court season, providing players with essential preparation for major events like the French Open due to its surface and timing.[12][13] In its inaugural edition, Hungarian player Balázs Taróczy secured a remarkable double victory, claiming both the singles and doubles titles, which underscored the event's competitive intensity from the outset. The tournament's prestige grew rapidly, attracting elite talent and crowning multiple world No. 1 players as singles champions, including Björn Borg in 1981 and Mats Wilander in 1982 and 1983, highlighting its status among clay court specialists.[12][1] The event transitioned from the Grand Prix circuit to the newly formed ATP Tour in 1990, continuing under the name Geneva Open until its final edition in 1991, won by Thomas Muster. Following this, shifts in ATP scheduling and regional priorities led to the tournament's discontinuation, initiating a 23-year hiatus before its revival.[14][7]Hiatus and revival (1992–present)
Following its final edition as an ATP Tour event in 1991, the Geneva Open was downgraded to the ATP Challenger Tour level from 1992 to 2014, where it continued on outdoor clay courts but with a significantly reduced profile and prize money compared to its prior status.[1][15] The tournament was revived as an ATP 250 event in 2015, taking the calendar slot previously occupied by the Power Horse Cup in Düsseldorf, in a move aimed at bolstering professional tennis presence in Switzerland amid the success of homegrown stars like Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka.[16][1] The inaugural post-revival edition was won by Thomaz Bellucci, who defeated João Sousa 7–6(4), 6–4 in the final.[17] Since its return, the event has featured notable achievements, including Stan Wawrinka's back-to-back titles in 2016 and 2017, Casper Ruud's three victories in 2021, 2022, and 2024—making him the first three-time champion in the modern era—and Novak Djokovic's triumph in 2025, which marked his 100th career singles title after a 5–7, 7–6(2), 7–6(2) win over Hubert Hurkacz.[1][18][19] The 2020 edition was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the only such interruption in the revival period.[7] Swiss players have claimed four singles titles across the tournament's history, including Claudio Mezzadri in 1987, Marc Rosset in 1989, and Stan Wawrinka's consecutive wins in 2016 and 2017, providing highlights of national success during both eras.[1]Venue and organization
Location and facilities
The Geneva Open is hosted at the Tennis Club de Genève, situated in the Parc des Eaux-Vives in Geneva, Switzerland.[1] This venue provides a picturesque backdrop for the tournament, nestled within a public park that enhances the event's scenic appeal.[12] The Tennis Club de Genève, founded in 1896, stands as the oldest and largest tennis club in Switzerland, offering extensive infrastructure for players and spectators.[1][20] It features multiple outdoor courts, including dedicated practice areas and a practice wall with a mini-tennis court, supporting both competitive play and training needs.[21] The main show court, used for finals and key matches, accommodates approximately 3,174 spectators through grandstands with 2,850 seats and 54 VIP lounges each holding six.[22] Player amenities include renovated changing rooms and other support facilities across the club's sites, integrated seamlessly with the surrounding natural park environment.[12] The location's proximity to Lake Geneva and the heart of urban Geneva ensures convenient logistics and accessibility for international competitors and visitors.[12]Surface and event scheduling
The Geneva Open is played on outdoor red clay courts at the Tennis Club de Genève, a surface type that has remained consistent since the tournament's inception in 1980.[1][23] This red clay, composed primarily of crushed brick and natural clay materials, provides a slower, higher-bouncing playing surface that favors baseline rallies and defensive playstyles, aligning with the characteristics of other European clay-court events.[24] The courts undergo daily maintenance, including brushing to redistribute the clay particles, watering to maintain optimal moisture levels, and rolling to ensure a smooth, firm base, which helps preserve consistency across the European clay swing leading into the French Open.[25] The tournament is scheduled annually in mid-May, typically spanning one week from Sunday to Saturday, with qualifying rounds held over the preceding weekend to determine entries into the main draw.[26] For instance, the 2025 edition ran from May 18 to 24, positioning it as a crucial preparatory event for players ahead of the French Open, which begins the following week.[1] This timing allows competitors to acclimate to clay conditions in a competitive setting just prior to the Grand Slam.[27] The tournament is directed by Thierry Grin and organized in partnership with the Tennis Club de Genève.[9] Geneva's spring weather in mid-May features mild temperatures, with average highs around 19–20°C (66–68°F) and lows near 9°C (48°F), accompanied by approximately 80–90 mm of rainfall across the month, which can lead to intermittent showers and potential match delays.[28][29] Organizers account for these conditions by preparing covered practice areas and adhering to ATP protocols for schedule adjustments due to rain, ensuring the event proceeds smoothly despite variable alpine-influenced weather patterns.[30]Champions
Singles champions
The Geneva Open singles competition has crowned 18 different champions across its 22 editions as an ATP Tour event, held annually from 1980 to 1991 before a revival in 2015, with no tournament in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[1] Notable finals have featured dramatic comebacks and milestones, such as Novak Djokovic's 2025 victory, where he rallied from a set down to defeat Hubert Hurkacz 5–7, 7–6(7–2), 7–6(7–2) in over three hours, securing his 100th career ATP singles title.[19] The full list of singles champions is as follows:| Year | Champion | Runner-up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Balázs Taróczy (HUN) | Adriano Panatta (ITA) | 6–3, 6–2 |
| 1981 | Björn Borg (SWE) | Tomáš Šmíd (TCH) | 6–4, 6–3 |
| 1982 | Mats Wilander (SWE) | Tomáš Šmíd (TCH) | 7–5, 4–6, 6–4 |
| 1983 | Mats Wilander (SWE) | Henrik Sundström (SWE) | 3–6, 6–1, 6–3 |
| 1984 | Aaron Krickstein (USA) | Henrik Sundström (SWE) | 6–7, 6–1, 6–4 |
| 1985 | Tomáš Šmíd (TCH) | Mats Wilander (SWE) | 6–4, 6–4 |
| 1986 | Henri Leconte (FRA) | Thierry Tulasne (FRA) | 7–5, 6–3 |
| 1987 | Claudio Mezzadri (SUI) | Tomáš Šmíd (TCH) | 6–4, 7–5 |
| 1988 | Marián Vajda (TCH) | Kent Carlsson (SWE) | 6–4, 6–4 |
| 1989 | Marc Rosset (SUI) | Guillermo Pérez Roldán (ARG) | 6–4, 7–5 |
| 1990 | Horst Skoff (AUT) | Sergi Bruguera (ESP) | 7–6(10–8), 7–6(7–4) |
| 1991 | Thomas Muster (AUT) | Horst Skoff (AUT) | 6–2, 6–4 |
| 2015 | Thomaz Bellucci (BRA) | João Sousa (POR) | 7–5, 6–4 |
| 2016 | Stan Wawrinka (SUI) | Marin Čilić (CRO) | 6–4, 7–6(5) |
| 2017 | Stan Wawrinka (SUI) | Mischa Zverev (GER) | 6–4, 6–3 |
| 2018 | Márton Fucsovics (HUN) | Peter Gojowczyk (GER) | 6–2, 6–2[31] |
| 2019 | Alexander Zverev (GER) | Nicolás Jarry (CHI) | 6–3, 3–6, 7–6(10–8) |
| 2021 | Casper Ruud (NOR) | Denis Shapovalov (CAN) | 7–6(8–6), 6–4 |
| 2022 | Casper Ruud (NOR) | João Sousa (POR) | 7–6(7–3), 4–6, 7–6(7–1) |
| 2023 | Nicolás Jarry (CHI) | Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) | 7–6(7–1), 6–1 |
| 2024 | Casper Ruud (NOR) | Tomáš Macháč (CZE) | 7–5, 6–3 |
| 2025 | Novak Djokovic (SRB) | Hubert Hurkacz (POL) | 5–7, 7–6(7–2), 7–6(7–2) |
Doubles champions
The Geneva Open doubles event has showcased 22 editions since 1980, emphasizing collaborative team strategies on clay surfaces that reward synchronized play, net approaches, and endurance in extended rallies. Held annually from 1980 to 1991 as part of the Grand Prix circuit, followed by a hiatus until revival as an ATP 250 event in 2015; it was absent in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Winning teams often featured established partnerships or ad hoc combinations that capitalized on complementary strengths, such as powerful serves paired with agile volleying. Notable among the champions is Croatia's Mate Pavić, who secured four titles with varying partners—Oliver Marach in 2018 and 2019, Nikola Mektić in 2022, and Marcelo Arévalo in 2024—illustrating the value of adaptable dynamics in doubles success at this pre-French Open tune-up. Other significant finals include the 1980 inaugural match, where the Yugoslav-Hungarian duo of Željko Franulović and Balázs Taróczy overcame Swiss brothers Heinz and Markus Günthardt in three sets, and the 2025 edition, where French pair Sadio Doumbia and Fabien Reboul staged a comeback via super-tiebreak against Ariel Behar and Joran Vliegen.| Year | Champions | Runners-up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Željko Franulović Balázs Taróczy | Heinz Günthardt Markus Günthardt | 6–4, 4–6, 6–4 |
| 1981 | Heinz Günthardt Balázs Taróczy | Pavel Složil Tomáš Šmíd | 6–4, 3–6, 6–2 |
| 1982 | Pavel Složil Tomáš Šmíd | Carl Limberger Mike Myburg | 6–4, 6–0 |
| 1983 | Stanislav Birner Blaine Willenborg | Joakim Nyström Mats Wilander | 6–1, 2–6, 6–3 |
| 1984 | Michael Mortensen Mats Wilander | Libor Pimek Tomáš Šmíd | 6–1, 3–6, 7–5 |
| 1985 | Sergio Casal Emilio Sánchez | Carlos Kirmayr Cássio Motta | 6–4, 4–6, 7–5 |
| 1986 | Andreas Maurer Jörgen Windahl | Gustavo Luza Gustavo Tiberti | 6–4, 3–6, 6–4 |
| 1987 | Ricardo Acioly Luiz Mattar | Mansour Bahrami Diego Pérez | 3–6, 6–4, 6–2 |
| 1988 | Mansour Bahrami Tomáš Šmíd | Gustavo Luza Guillermo Pérez Roldán | 6–4, 6–2 |
| 1989 | Andrés Gómez Alberto Mancini | Mansour Bahrami Guillermo Pérez Roldán | 6–3, 7–5 |
| 1990 | Pablo Albano David Engel | Neil Borwick David Lewis | 6–3, 7–6 |
| 1991 | Sergi Bruguera Marc Rosset | Per Henricsson Ola Jonsson | 3–6, 6–3, 6–2 |
| 2015 | Juan Sebastián Cabal Robert Farah | Raven Klaasen Lu Yen-hsun | 6–7(4–7), 7–6(7–2), [10–7] |
| 2016 | Steve Johnson Sam Querrey | Raven Klaasen Rajeev Ram | 6–4, 6–3 |
| 2017 | Jean-Julien Rojer Horia Tecău | Steve Darcis Juan Sebastián Cabal | 6–3, 6–4 |
| 2018 | Oliver Marach Mate Pavić | Ivan Dodig Rajeev Ram | 7–6(7–5), 6–2 |
| 2019 | Oliver Marach Mate Pavić | Robert Lindstedt Matwé Middelkoop | 6–3, 6–4 |
| 2021 | John Peers Michael Venus | Simone Bolelli Máximo González | 6–3, 6–3 |
| 2022 | Nikola Mektić Mate Pavić | Pablo Andújar Matwé Middelkoop | 6–3, 6–3 |
| 2023 | Jamie Murray Michael Venus | Sander Gillé Joran Vliegen | 7–6(7–4), 6–4 |
| 2024 | Marcelo Arévalo Mate Pavić | Lloyd Glasspool Jean-Julien Rojer | 7–6(7–2), 7–5 |
| 2025 | Sadio Doumbia Fabien Reboul | Ariel Behar Joran Vliegen | 6–7(5–7), 6–4, [11–9] |
Records and statistics
Singles records
Casper Ruud holds the record for the most singles titles at the Geneva Open with three victories, achieved in 2021, 2022, and 2024.[9] Stan Wawrinka and Mats Wilander share the mark for the second-most titles with two each; Wawrinka won in 2016 and 2017, while Wilander claimed the title in 1982 and 1983.[32] Wawrinka and Ruud are the only players to win consecutive titles; Wawrinka defended his 2016 crown in 2017, while Ruud defended from 2021 to 2022.[14] The youngest singles champion is Aaron Krickstein, who won the 1984 edition at age 17.[9] Swiss players have secured four singles titles in the tournament's history, with Claudio Mezzadri winning in 1987, Marc Rosset in 1989, and Stan Wawrinka capturing the other two in 2016 and 2017.[12] High-profile players have triumphed as top seeds, exemplified by Alexander Zverev, who entered as world No. 5 and won the 2019 title. Earlier, Björn Borg claimed the 1981 championship as the No. 1 seed, representing one of the highest entry rankings for a winner.[9]Doubles records
Mate Pavić holds the record for the most men's doubles titles won at the Geneva Open, with four victories across different partnerships since the tournament's revival in 2015. He triumphed in 2018 and 2019 alongside Oliver Marach, in 2022 with Nikola Mektić, and in 2024 with Marcelo Arévalo.[33][34][35][9] The only instance of consecutive doubles titles at the event occurred in 2018 and 2019, when Marach and Pavić successfully defended their crown with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Matthew Ebden and Robert Lindstedt in the 2019 final.[34][36] Two other players have secured multiple titles at the Geneva Open: Michael Venus, who claimed titles in 2021 with John Peers (6-2, 7-5 over Simone Bolelli and Máximo González) and in 2023 with Jamie Murray (7-6(6), 7-6(3) against Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos).[37] Juan Sebastián Cabal and Robert Farah won the 2015 title (defeating Raven Klaasen and Lu Yen-hsun 7-5, 4-6, [10-7]) and were runners-up in 2017, losing to Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau. In 2025, Sadio Doumbia and Fabien Reboul captured their first Geneva Open doubles title as a team, edging Ariel Behar and Joran Vliegen 6-7(5), 6-4, [11-9] in the final. This marked the first all-French pairing to win the event.[38]| Player | Titles | Years and Partners |
|---|---|---|
| Mate Pavić (CRO) | 4 | 2018 (w/ Oliver Marach), 2019 (w/ Oliver Marach), 2022 (w/ Nikola Mektić), 2024 (w/ Marcelo Arévalo) |
| Michael Venus (NZL) | 2 | 2021 (w/ John Peers), 2023 (w/ Jamie Murray) |
| Oliver Marach (AUT) | 2 | 2018 (w/ Mate Pavić), 2019 (w/ Mate Pavić) |