Berrettini & Monfils Lead Star-Studded Phoenix Challenger Field

| by Balasz Virag

The ATP Challenger events that are played around the biggest tournaments in the calendar always have the potential of attracting the biggest players in the game, and that's the case for the 2023 Arizona Tennis Classic.

The 2023 Arizona Tennis Classic is an ATP Challenger event and it's held in Phoenix, Arizona, United States from March 13th to 19th. In the past, the event enjoyed it's share of attention as Matteo Berrettini won the inaugural tournament in 2019 and last year, the likes of Lorenzo Musetti, David Goffin, and Benoit Paire competed in Phoenix.

The tournament has a special place in the ATP calendar, as it offers a 'second chance' to the players who didn't do well in Indian Wells and experienced an early exit. By playing the Challenger event, they can earn some valuable ranking points and prepare for the upcoming 2023 Miami Open.

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Matteo Berrettini, Gael Monfils, and Diego Schwartzman are three players who received a wild card, but the field includes many more interesting names. Richard Gasquet, Alexander Bublik, Jiri Lehecka, Marc-Andrea Huesler, and Emil Ruusuvuori will all compete in Phoenix.

Berrettini, who won the event in 2019, announced his participation on the social media, stating:

"As I’ve always done - trusting the process, working hard, and staying focused. The season is long and I’ll be back to my best soon. I really appreciate all the support. My team and I have decided to play in Phoenix next week. Thank you to the Arizona Tennis Classic for the wild card."

The tournament will be surely interesting for all three wild card recipients as neither of them play Challenger events often, but the last time they did, they all won it.

Matteo Berrettini won in Phoenix in 2019, Gael Monfils triumphed in Kaohsiung in 2018, and Diego Schwartzman lifted a trophy in Montevideo in 2016. Moreover, the Frenchman is a on a 15-match winning streak in Challenger events while the Argentinian is yet to lose in his last 10.

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