What Is 2019 Open du Pays d'Aix - Doubles

Overview

The 2019 Open du Pays d'Aix – Doubles was a professional tennis tournament held as part of the ATP Challenger Tour, featuring international doubles teams competing on red clay courts. The event took place in Aix-en-Provence, France, from April 29 to May 5, 2019, serving as a key warm-up for the French Open.

As a Challenger 125-level tournament, it attracted players ranked just outside the ATP Top 50, offering valuable ranking points and prize money. The doubles competition featured 16 teams in the main draw, with matches played in a best-of-three-sets format, including a match tiebreak in the final set.

• Sander Arends and David Pel claimed the title by defeating Hugo Nys and Maxime Cressy in the final with a score of 6–4, 7–6(4).
• The final match was held on May 5, 2019, at the Country Club Aixois, marking the culmination of a week-long tournament.
• This victory gave Arends and Pel 100 ATP ranking points each and a share of the $14,400 prize pool designated for doubles winners.
• The tournament was played on outdoor red clay courts, a surface known for slower ball speed and higher bounce, favoring baseline players.
• As a Challenger 125 event, it ranked among the highest-tier ATP Challenger tournaments, drawing strong international participation.

How It Works

The Open du Pays d'Aix is structured as a standard ATP Challenger doubles event, with specific rules governing entry, scoring, and progression through the draw.

• Entry System: The doubles draw consists of 16 teams, with eight pairs gaining direct entry based on ATP rankings and the rest receiving wild cards or qualifying through pre-tournament matches.
• Match Format: All doubles matches are played as best-of-three sets, with the final set using a 10-point match tiebreak if the score reaches one set all.
• Seeding: The top four doubles teams are seeded based on combined rankings to avoid early matchups between top contenders.
• Surface Type: The tournament is played on red clay, which slows ball speed and increases rally length, impacting doubles strategy and net approaches.
• ATP Points: The champions earn 100 ATP points, while finalists receive 60, semifinalists 36, quarterfinalists 19, and first-round losers 0.
• Prize Money: The total doubles prize pool was $14,400 in 2019, with winners receiving $2,740 per team and runners-up $1,580 per team.

Comparison at a Glance

The 2019 Open du Pays d'Aix – Doubles can be better understood by comparing it to similar ATP Challenger events in terms of structure, surface, and rewards.

While all these tournaments are part of the ATP Challenger Tour, differences in surface, prize money, and point allocation influence player participation and strategic preparation. The Open du Pays d'Aix stands out for its clay-court focus and timing just weeks before Roland Garros, making it a strategic stop for players building form on clay.

Why It Matters

The 2019 Open du Pays d'Aix – Doubles had significant implications for player development, ATP rankings, and clay-court season preparation.

• Winning the title boosted Sander Arends and David Pel's ATP doubles rankings, helping them gain entry into higher-tier tournaments.
• For Hugo Nys, reaching the final marked continued progress in doubles, contributing to his eventual Top 50 breakthrough later in 2019.
• The tournament provided crucial match experience on clay, a surface where many players refine tactics before Grand Slam events.
• As a Challenger 125 event, it offered nearly Challenger-level maximum points, making it a high-value target for rising players.
• The event strengthened Aix-en-Provence's reputation as a key stop on the European clay-court circuit ahead of Roland Garros.
• Local fans benefited from world-class tennis, and the tournament supported regional economic activity through tourism and media exposure.

Overall, the 2019 Open du Pays d'Aix – Doubles served as both a competitive milestone and a strategic stepping stone in the professional tennis calendar.