The event is part of the early European Indoor season, which takes place in the second month of the year before play briefly shifts to North America for the Sunshine Double. The tournament in Montpellier, which is also called Open Sud de France, and formerly known as the Grand Prix de Tennis de Lyon, is an ATP 250 event that's been played for over three decades, having first been held in 1987.
The event was initially held in October and in Lyon at the Palais des Sports de Gerland until 2009 when it was moved to Montpellier. The event is now held in the Montpellier Arena, which has a capacity of 7,500 people, and it's generally a well-liked event that features traditionally strong entry lists.
The event has been won by many legendary players, including home favorite Yannick Noah, who won the first edition back in 1987, but also other legends such as John McEnroe, Pete Sampras, Alex Corretja, Andy Roddick, and many more.
The recent history has been dominated by native winners such as Gael Monfils who won the event three times as well as Richard Gasquet who triumphed four times.
It's Gasquet who is the most successful player in the event's history, having won it four times in the past. The indoor hard court event was also won by one of the most talented players on the ATP Tour, Jannik Sinner, who won the tournament in 2023.
