When the dust settles on the first year of the Hellenic Championship ATP 250 in Athens, the story of how it came to be is almost as compelling as the tennis itself. Here’s a narrative of how Greece — after more than three decades without a major men’s ATP tournament — reclaimed a seat at the table.
1. A Gap in the Calendar, A City Searching for Return
Greece has a rich sporting heritage, but in men’s tennis at the ATP level, it has been a long wait. The last time Athens hosted an ATP Tour event was the now-defunct Athens International in 1994.
In recent years, however, Greece (and specifically the Region of Attica) began to focus more ambitiously on sports tourism and infrastructure as ways to broaden its appeal outside the traditional summer holiday season.
2. A Licence Moves: From Belgrade to Athens
The turning point came in August 2025 when the ATP Tour officially announced that the tournament licence for what had been the Belgrade Open (an ATP 250 event in Serbia) would relocate to Athens.
Key factors:
- The tournament organisers in Belgrade (a team which had run nine prior international tournaments) held the licence and chose to shift the event.
- Media reports suggest the involvement of the family of Novak Djokovic (his brother Djordje serves as Tournament Director) in the decision-making.
- In Athens, stakeholders saw an opening: a major ATP tournament, a global broadcast reach, and the chance to elevate Greek sport and tourism.
3. Why Athens? Why Now?
Several elements aligned to make the move possible and timely:
a) Infrastructure and Venue
The event is set to be played on indoor hard courts at the Olympic Athletic Center of Athens (OAKA) – in particular the “Telekom Center Athens” arena (the part of OAKA used for basketball and multi-purpose events).
Notably, the Region of Attica invested approximately €5.7 million in refurbishing the OAKA facility: upgrades in seating, lighting, energy-efficiency, and general spectator comfort.
b) Strategic vision: Sports + Tourism
Greek tourism officials see the tournament as more than sport: it’s a way to attract visitors in November (off-peak for Greek beach tourism), extend the season, and position Athens/Attica as a sports-tourism hub.
For example, the event is set to be broadcast to over 130 countries, amplifying Athens’ global exposure.
c) Untapped Market & Local Momentum
With no major ATP event in Greece (for over 30 years), organisers and the ATP saw a fresh market. Local support (government, regional authorities, sports federation) was strong. As Djordje Djokovic said: the Greek market “had been untapped for so many years.”
4. The Announcement & Build-Up
In late October 2025 the official details emerged:
- Dates: 1-8 November 2025 in Athens.
- Name: “Vanda Pharmaceuticals Hellenic Championship ATP 250”.
- Organisers emphasised this is a first edition but with longer-term intent: “here to stay” was the phrase used.
- Tickets went on sale mid-October.
- The player entry list promises to include top-50 players and big names.
5. In the Trenches: Why This Matters for Tennis in Greece
- For Greek players (and fans) this heralds the return of world-class men’s tennis on home soil.
- For the local sports ecosystem it means jobs, infrastructure legacy, and a stronger position in the international sporting circuit.
- For the ATP and global tennis it means geographic diversification: Athens adds southern Europe/Mediterranean flavour, different climate, new audience.
6. Challenges & Opportunities Ahead
Challenges
- Being a new event: building reputation, ensuring player commitment, securing sponsors, and delivering seamless logistics in year one.
- Ensuring local uptake: filling seats, engaging locals, integrating with Greek culture so it doesn’t feel like an imported event.
- Sustaining the event beyond the first year: calendar competition, financial sustainability, and audience retention.
Opportunities
- Building a legacy: if the tournament succeeds, this could become a longstanding stop on the tour and a springboard for more tennis in Greece (even a women’s tournament suggested).
- Leveraging Athens’ unique hybrid identity: ancient history + modern urban environment = attractive to tourists combining sport + culture.
- Expanding the season: gear more global fans who might travel to Athens for a week of tennis plus exploration of the city and region.
7. Looking Ahead: The Story Starts Now
If all goes well, the 2025 edition of the Hellenic Championship won’t just be a one-off novelty — it could mark a new chapter for Greek tennis and sport tourism. Athens will host the world’s top players, broadcast globally, and showcase itself as a host city capable of major events.
And for me, writing this blog story, the magic lies in the convergence: licence relocation, infrastructure investment, tourism strategy, player star power, and a historical gap being filled. The stage is set. The first serve has been hit. And Athens is back on the map of elite men’s professional tennis.
If you like, I can map out the timeline of key events leading to the tournament (with dates) and include some behind-the-scenes quotes and interviews from organisers. Would you like that?
