Tennis returns to Les Arènes in 2026 with the second edition of the Bastide UTS Nîmes

One year after the unforgettable images of the packed tennis court at the Les Arènes de Nîmes, the second stop of the 2026 UTS Tour will once again take place in this historic venue, which can host up to 13,000 people. UTS, Bastide Médical, and the City of Nîmes announce the holding of the second edition of the tournament on April 3 and 4, 2026, opening the clay court season which will conclude at Roland-Garros seven weeks later.

Confirmed Top Players

Three prominent players have already confirmed their participation: Norway’s Casper Ruud, France’s Ugo Humbert, and Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik.

• Ruud, a Top 10 player for four years and a two-time Roland-Garros finalist, will return to simply defend his title in the Arena, where his mastery of clay made the 20,500 spectators at the 2024 edition rise to their feet.
  
• Ugo Humbert, the French No. 1 and 2024 UTS Frankfurt finalist, a regular on the UTS circuit, will return to the ground where a vibrant rendition of La Marseillaise was sung mid-match during his encounter against Gaël Monfils in 2025.
  
• Alexander Bublik, currently World No. 16 and a 2024 UTS New York finalist, will attempt to secure his first UTS trophy after an exceptional 2025 season marked by four ATP titles (including two on clay).
  

The remaining five players will be announced gradually in the coming weeks and months. They will compete for a total prize money of $1,000,000 USD, with the winner taking home $301,000 USD.

Tournament Format and Ticketing

As in 2025, the event will take place over two days with a direct knockout main draw starting in the quarter-finals on Friday, April 3, followed by the semi-finals, the final, and two classification matches on Saturday, April 4. Every ticket holder is guaranteed to see all eight players in the final draw compete on both days.

Tickets go on sale with starting prices of 15 euros for Friday and 19 euros for Saturday.

Ticket sales open on Tuesday, October 28, at 2:00 PM on our website.

In 2025, over 5,000 tickets were snapped up in a few hours, demonstrating the immense interest from the Nîmes and French public for the tournament.

Alongside the competition, the organisers are renewing their commitment to uniting the people of Nîmes around a true “Week of Tennis,” notably by inviting school children, local sports clubs, and setting aside a dedicated day for the media.

Vincent Bastide, CEO of the Bastide Médical Group, originator and main sponsor of the event, states: “I am delighted to be able, once again this year, to offer the people of Nîmes, and tennis enthusiasts more generally, a second edition of the Bastide UTS Nîmes, the success of which left a lasting impression on the more than 20,000 spectators present last year. What a journey since my first conversations with Jérémy Chardy, during which the idea of bringing tennis back to the Arena was born! And what a pleasure to see our famous Nîmes amphitheatre—to whose rehabilitation we have been financially contributing for many years—once again host very high-level tennis!”

Jean-Paul Fournier, Mayor of Nîmes, a partner local authority, declares:

“Nîmes is hosting the Bastide UTS Nîmes tournament for the second consecutive year, an exceptional event that confirms the return of tennis to our Arena. Last year, the first edition made a strong impression: an innovative format, an enthralled public, and champions who offered a unique spectacle in an unparalleled historic setting. This year again, the Nîmes Arena transforms into a true temple of sport and emotion, where tennis blends with the timeless beauty of our heritage. This tournament is now a fixture in Nîmes’ rich calendar of events.”

Franck Proust, President of Nîmes Métropole, official supporter of the Bastide UTS Nîmes, states:

“For this second Nîmes edition of the UTS, Nîmes Métropole is happy to associate its image as a young and energetic local authority with this extraordinary sporting event. In Nîmes, we deliver doubly spectacular events: first with the UTS, its innovative, dynamic, and sensational tennis format; and second, within a two-thousand-year-old amphitheatre, a unique setting that the players particularly appreciated last year.”

Starting on Monday, March 30, and Tuesday, March 31, 2026, the City of Nîmes and its partners will organise mini-tennis, pickleball, and precision games for primary school classes (6 to 8 classes per day), in collaboration with the Gard Tennis Committee and in partnership with Nîmes tennis clubs. Activities will take place on the Esplanade mail and the sanded area around the Pradier fountain. During these days, classes will be able to tour Les Arènes and access the central tennis court in half-class groups. All the keys to the UTS tournament’s operation will be provided to them. Tournaments will also be organised during the week by the Gard Tennis Committee, bringing together licensed members of Nîmes tennis clubs, to allow everyone to take part in the event.

Patrick Mouratoglou, founder of UTS, declares:

“We would all sign with both hands to relive the same event as in 2025, as it was so exceptional. We are very hopeful that the spectacle and the public experience will be even better. We work towards this every day, but the simple idea of returning to this magical place to feel the same vibrations is an extraordinary reward.”

The Bastide UTS Nîmes will be the second stop on the 2026 UTS Tour, following a first hard-court event in Mexico, Guadalajara (February 5-7). The 2025 Tour crowned Tomas Machac in Guadalajara, Casper Ruud in Nîmes, and Francisco Cerundolo in Hong Kong a few days ago. The 2025 UTS Champion will be determined in London, at the “Grand Final” scheduled for the Copper Box Arena (December 5-7).