Challenger

From dust... to stardust! The rollercoaster journey of the Cap Cana Challenger

In the heart of the Caribbean lay a small barren patch of dirt — hardly the place one would expect to host a world-class ATP Challenger Tour event.

Yet, against the odds, and overcoming adversity just days before the tournament, Cap Cana staged one of the most ambitious tournaments in Latin America: the Republica Dominicana Open, Copa Cap Cana Ciudad Destino, which was won by American Aleksandar Kovacevic on Sunday.

Perhaps the most surprising thing about such a luxurious tournament is that the venue was constructed in two months. Tournament directors Laura Fernandez and James Garcia, a married couple who also run a Challenger 125 in the Dominican Republic's capital city Santo Domingo, recall arriving at the empty location, which now is home to the event venue, Racquet Village.

“It was a desert with nothing. No courts or anything,” Fernandez told ATPTour.com. “I said, ‘You think it’s possible to put on a Challenger 175 in two months?’ And they said, ‘Yes!’ And here we are. It’s beautiful.”

^{Credit: Mike Lawrence/ATP Challenger Tour}

Garcia described the journey as a "rollercoaster of emotions”. The quick turnaround was exhilarating, but unpredictable. One week, it seemed things were on schedule, although with a fast-approaching deadline. The next week, rain, and more rain, hindering the construction.

“[At one] point we said, ‘We have a 3.5 million dollar venue and maybe no tournament,’” Garcia said.

Just three days before the tournament, the biggest challenge arrived. There was excessive sub-surface moisture on Grandstand, creating bubbles on the court.

“When the supervisor arrived on Friday, they had to redo the Grandstand from zero basically,” Garcia said.

After three years of discussions and only a short window to bring the tournament to life, the Cap Cana Challenger received an overwhelming response, with tickets selling out from the quarter-finals onward. The main-draw cutoff of No. 109 in the PIF ATP Rankings was similar to that of an ATP 250 tournament.

“Doing the schedule every day, we are used to having four or five Top 100 players [in Santo Domingo], but now, all the players are Top 100 and I was like, ‘Okay, put them on centre court!’” said Jose ‘Bebo’ Hernandez-Fernandez, former No. 179 in the PIF ATP Rankings and Laura’s son.

“Every match is centre court for this country. We should start at 6 a.m. and put every match on centre court!"

^{From left to right: Tournament directors James Garcia, Jose ‘Bebo’ Hernandez-Fernandez and Laura Fernandez. Credit: Mike Lawrence/ATP Challenger Tour}

Beyond the competition, the tournament went above and beyond, offering unparalleled perks. Players stayed at a five-star, all-inclusive resort.

“Instead of just giving the minimum one breakfast per day, they are receiving it for them and the companion in the room, the all-inclusive package. It is an amazing hotel,” Garcia said.

“I remember when I met Cameron Norrie at the reception when he was checking in and I was explaining this and he was like, ‘You are telling me I’m not going to have to put my honey on my credit card?’ I said, ‘Yes’. He said, ‘Oh, I fly here because I love it!’”

Players and a guest also received a complimentary round at Punta Espada Golf Club, a highly-rated Jack Nicklaus signature course.

“Laura puts it best, ‘This tournament is a disguised 250’,” Garcia said. “If this is what the team can accomplish in a few months, the future promises something even greater.”

Bebo added: “If we can do this in three months, we cannot wait for what we can do in one year. We are thrilled and look forward to what is coming ahead.”

^{Alexandre Muller at the Punta Espada Golf Club.}

^{Fans flock to the biggest tournament on the island.}

^{Daniel Altmaier and Tomas Martin Etcheverry enjoy pre-tournament activities. All photo credits: Mike Lawrence/ATP Challenger Tour}