#* thread | 125.

[carbidesamuel]

High quality grooving inserts maching cnc metalworks

[lqnar]

edtwt rly thinks recovery means ending up 250 lbs like bro i promise thats not how it works

[pavonisgiron]

Continuing the sales posts:

1. Rock peeker. Acrylic, gouache, and oil pastel, 7x7in. $35 (CLAIMED)

2. Bobcat stroll. Acrylic and oil pastel. 9x12. $125

3. Comb shell. A small but lovely one in oil pastel. 4.5x7.5in.  $35 (CLAIMED)

If you are interested in any of these pieces, please comment, message me directly, or respond to the Twitter thread here. First come, first claimed. Paypal preferred!

[dramarising-replacement]

I think it's kinda stupid to keep wording the reflection scroll issue as "125 gems to flip a png" like .... it's all pngs. the whole game. you're complaining about altering a png on the altering a png game. Hypothetically you could make any dragon you want in the scrying workshop, add any apparel you want in the dressing room, save the png to your computer, and flip it in your own editing program. You could even make a thread and post all the images of your creations for other users to see. Why not just do that? If your answer to that is "it's not the same as having it in your lair" then you're acknowledging the aspect of gameplay and digital ownership involved in altering "the pngs" is significant, and therefore an item to flip the dragon can be an item that is valuable and adds value when applied to the applied the same way value is added with genes, breed changes, apparel, and so on. 

[idyat]

As of now, I'm going to compile palestinian fundraisers sent in my askbox here, with edits and updates as time goes on.

There are also many fundraisers and other masterposts on my reblog account @idyat-but-reblogs, and you can see every fundraiser I've answered/reblogged here with the tags #important, #signal boost and #palestine

Please donate if you can, and share if you cannot!

@mohammed-gaza - (ONLY 40/70 000€)

@noor12stt - (ONLY 32/70 000€) https://gofund.me/f5998a4d

(ONLY 2591/50 000£) https://gofund.me/d2ed7294

@hilles-abed - (ONLY 611/35 000€)

@ehabayyad23 - (only 2,675/50,000€!)

@supportgaza - (goal almost reached!) https://gofund.me/483c5474

@mahmoud201191 - (only 15€ reached!) https://gofund.me/4ea606d9

@salmagaza - (only 10€ reached!) https://gofund.me/7767bb14

@alaakhaled0 - (only 129/20 000€!) https://gofund.me/90501cc4

@reemygaza - (only 452/50 000€!) https://gofund.me/4cb82142

@ahmadwaleed55 - https://gofund.me/944ddd9b

@majedgaza1 - https://gofund.me/abbc2759

@yasermohammad - (over halfway to the goal!) https://gofund.me/b8705606

@karamalmadhoun0 - https://gofund.me/903d0086

@save-amal-family - https://gofund.me/11774d84

@mohammedmatat - (only 1 015/15 000€!)

@helpmohammed2024 - (Onny 2 752 /50 000) https://gofund.me/27a0d136

@kareeem-sd - https://gofund.me/70501154

@ahmedomer9 - https://gofund.me/315b0b3c

@abdmusab - https://gofund.me/e6a1e1e9

@yasermohammad (less than 300€ left!)

@osama-family - https://gofund.me/71c9635a

@kareemalnakhala 's friend (8 510/80 000€)

@khadiga22 - https://www.gofundme.com/f/save-the-life-of-an-innocent-child

@wajihmadi - https://gofund.me/94fc30d8

@leenakhamiss - https://gofund.me/cafe04f6

@safaayasserang - (only 1 321/50 000€!)

@lamahourani7 - https://gofund.me/cd29b3ea

@emanabosedo - (Only 544/50 000€!!) https://gofund.me/245416d9

@mahmodsy - https://gofund.me/463cbf01

@keensaladbanana - (extremely low funds, only kr6,671/kr350,000 NOK!) https://www.gofundme.com/f/please-help-and-donate-quickly-for-the-sad-family-of-gaza

@zainsami - https://gofund.me/107a8322

@anasalshrofa - (only 1,607/50,000€!) https://www.gofundme.com/f/7fn48y-gaza-palestine

@yahyaahlbil - (only 296/50 000€!) https://gofund.me/2dec49e4

@savepalestineinfamily19 -

@kahlilahmad45- https://gofund.me/da2a8b83

@ahmedhells-blog - (only 14,933/80,000!) https://gofund.me/d4e07901

@abdelmutei - https://gofund.me/04ffec47

@YASMEN5M on twitter -

@fatma-anqer -

@khalid-sisters - (only 1,570/15,000$!)

@odayalanqar-2002 - https://gofund.me/7fc8a826

@d-imtthal - (only 5,932/50,000€ !) https://gofund.me/ce4f39d0

@bshaeromars-blog - (nearly halfway to the goal!) https://gofund.me/c0fb7b5f

@shadowyavenuetaco - https://gofund.me/ba5b76e9

@springbutterfly37 - (low on donations!) https://gofund.me/4c412abb

Twitter thread of sudanese fundraisers

@hanangaza - (ONLY 125/100 000€!)

@hanan-gaza23 - https://gofund.me/d40dbab5

@heba-baker - https://gofund.me/7a794018

@mahmoudalmasrifund - https://gofund.me/28651f56

@emanabd_2001 on twitter - gofund.me/e3183a96

@BasharInshasi on twitter - http://gofund.me/db117389 - gofund.me/b90972fb

@zinh_1 on twitter - https://gofund.me/535d5423

@kareem-family2 - (halfway to the goal!)

@helptahanii -

@mohmoud-j - https://gofund.me/363ae8ca

Twitter thread to sudanese and palestinian gofundmes

@abdelmutei - https://gofund.me/a5b2fc20

[depressedgarbages-stuff]

All posts of the situation of 🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸 I saw today (Mon, May 20.):

https://www.tumblr.com/soon-palestine/749464648196194304/just-a-bureaucratic-thing-that-they-use-to?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/imtiredowo/751027003360149504?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/sayruq/750036478626807808?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/generousfacelove/751026932161871872/anyone-looking-to-work-at-pepsi-from-home-we?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/sayruq/750846426028851200/in-the-aftermath-of-hamas-accepting-the-cease-fire?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/i-am-aprl/749001601982808064/activists-project-the-names-and-faces-of-the-125?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/sayruq/750491746814803968/no-food-fuel-or-water-coming-in?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/imtiredowo/751026276647714817?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/animentality/749246592705609728?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/heejinsoulyves/749288013501284352/national-news-outlets-will-report-this-as-a?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/thescavenger29/750503115875385344/76th-anniversary-of-the-nakba-and-the-zionist?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/imtiredowo/751026688936280064?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/good-old-gossip/749203445068840960/terrorist-state-israel-targets-slaughters?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/soon-palestine/750366235552874496?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/longlivepalestina/748718247236485120/they-are-dying-of-hunger-look-at-the-picture?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/imtiredowo/751026143190188032/yk-hong-on-instagram-open-rafah-crossing-the?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/intersectionalpraxis/750684896888045568/people-have-been-calling-this-portrait-very?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/demolition-queen/749763656866267136/today-they-are-doing-the-same-to-rafah-israel-is?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/straight-from-gaza/748584282239451136/200-days-of-starvation-displacement-daily?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/taviamoth/750256624013377536/a-palestinian-child-captures-his-final-moments-on?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/imtiredowo/751026566111363072?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/workersolidarity/750229125046910976?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/troythecatfish/749853820721528832?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/mirkobloom77/750751430394183680/wiping-out-everything-israeli-forces?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/imtiredowo/751026391325261824?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/troythecatfish/750409293534232576/source-tripybara-on-threads-another-full-circle?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/soon-palestine/750428460307054592?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/troythecatfish/750462310454378496?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/adropofhumanity/750488939226415104?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/sayruq/750847458543878144/in-yemen-the-death-count-stagnated-at-15000-until?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/taviamoth/750032088661622784/unrwa-has-been-forced-to-shut-down-its-facility?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/muhammad-tawfique-hussain/750362127974481920/happening-now-journalist-hossamshabat-reporting?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/taviamoth/750890342447972352/from-the-nakba-76-years-ago-all-the-way-up-until?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/nando161mando/750946821572067328/a-palestinian-journalist-pays-tribute-to-his?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/adropofhumanity/750483254544596993?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/muhammad-tawfique-hussain/750839209390194689/a-baby-girl-rescued-from-the-rubble-of-her-home?source=share

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZGeXH5kTk/

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZGeXH7fe7/

[anotherplacemag]

Route :- Nomansland | Al Brydon

A series of walks undertaken sometime in the 1950's.

I was lucky. I had a friend who worked in waste management. We all need that friend. I sometimes wonder what he's doing now, but not very often any more.

He gave me an old photo album, presumably dumped in a house clearance. Bundled within were the minutes from a walker's group detailing their outings on specific dates, the abridged versions of which form the narrative for this small series of works. Accompanying them are my own photographs from my walks, plus some photographs of my late late late late relatives. An imaginary walk undertaken with people who are no closer than strangers but none the less connected to me. These three disparate threads combined form the zine 'Route :- Nomansland'.

website

instagram

zine - Al has just self-published this intriguing & strikingly original body of work as a small zine, limited to just 125 copies. Highly recommend bagging a copy while there's a few left!

All images & text © Al Brydon

[sorcerous-caress]

Okay human kink and streamer reader.

You're new to this streaming thing, you've tried countless times on twitch and even youtube but you barely get any viewers.

So one day while browsing twitter like one does, you stumble upon a link posted in a long thread in elvish. Curiously you click on it and it takes you to a new twitch domian you've never seen before.

The thread is deleted before you could go back and translate it. browsing through the website, you notice that it's mostly streamers playing games or talking.

One thing though, you can't spot a single human. It's all tieflings, elves, halflings and even fiends. Non-human streamers were vere rare on your normal streaming websites.

Setting an account, you do an experiment stream to test the waters. Checking things out and testing your mic and cam. Setting up your game and getting ready in your chair, absolutely oblivious to the steady rising number of viewers.

You're not even doing anything important, just going about your routine while occasionally talking to yourself. Only when a big donation pops up that it makes you jump out of your chair.

"Unmute the mic plz - 125 golds"

Checking the viewer page, you keep refreshing it to make sure what you're seeing isn't a bug. Over a thousand views already and it hasn't been 10 minutes, the numbers are rising and people are steadly pouring in.

Another donation, an even bigger number this time pops up.

"Human? Or cosplay? - 200 golds"

You try to read the chat but it's going too fast for you to comprehend, finally finishing your setup, you unmute your mic and hesitantly say a greeting.

Donation after donation pours in, so many messages that all the sounds overplay on each other. Complimenting this cute human, some in languages you don't even recognise.

[starlightiing]

Come Join the F1 Family Server 💕

It's Race Week! (Again)

We are a group of about 125 people who are very loving, open, and easy to make friends with. If you're looking for a crew to run with, consider ours! Lovers of all drivers, teams, ect are welcome here safely! Between the 125 of us, we do not all like each other's drivers, but we know how to behave. (Healthy debates always welcome, but no fighting please!)

We have:

All qualifying and races are guaranteed to be streamed. Practices are usually streamed as well, depending on the times. There's a live chatbox I usually throw radio messages into as well.

There's a dynamic schedule in there for all events that translates to your timezone.

F1 Fantasy is played in there, and there are channels for streaming games as well (F1 games, or others. Our resident artists sometimes stream art as well!)

There are spots for news, rumors, pets, memes, fanfic/rpf, general F1 discussion and off topics.

There's threads for other sports and other motorsports as well. We often times will stream random sports/motorsports for fun.

No mics or voice chatting is enabled for now. This can be unpredictable and make some people uncomfortable, so all chatting is done via typing/texting. This is also to keep audio lines clear when watching races.

We have movie/show/youtube nights often as well, where we just get together as a little community and hang out and watch stuff.

An interactive game section where you can play a fishing mini-game, help us grow Nyck de Trees, and more!

Everyone is welcome. As long as you promise not to viciously bash drivers and treat everyone with respect, we got you.

Safety is a huge priority for us. We have 5 mods and between us, someone is always active to keep spaces safe. The server is locked until rules are agreed to, and we have measures in place to limit who can join the server based on age of account, account safety, ect.

If you've been looking for someone to share races with, to make friends with, to discuss live events in a live chat with, come hang out with us 💕 you can even mute us until race days if that's your preference!

[malboraslihangifs]

*   ›   PAID CONTENT! ZEYNEP ATILGAN GIF PACK

by clicking the source link you will be directed to a total of 125 gifs of zeynep atilgan in yargi season 3 (episodes 1-3) available on payhip. she’s turkish, so make sure to have that in mind when building your muse. the gifs are all sized 268x150 and made from scratch by me. DO NOT redistribute, resize, repost or include any of the following gifs in another gif hunt. also PLEASE don’t use my gifs in any tab*o things, in smut threads, in krps, if you are blocked (either on this blog or yaziciyasemin) or if you use turkish fcs with non turkish names. please LIKE / REBLOG if you find these helpful!

[crash-bump-bring-the-whump]

Whumpril 2024 - Day 3 - Shame

Big Dog needs stiches c: Rex belongs to the sweet sweet @cyberwhumper and Vic (Victory) belongs to eternal master prose weaver @bxtterflystxtches!! Thank you for letting me torment your cute boys!!

TWs: infection, fever, stitches, needles, vomit reference, gore, uhhhh college dogboys being irresponsible for the love of football

“Shit.”

Rex grit his teeth, leaning more heavily against the bathroom sink. Tall, fluffy ears pinned back, disappearing into his hair as he sank the straight needle into his own skin. There wasn’t much wiggle room here, not over one of his ribs, and the sewing thread he used kept tugging at the awkward angles he pressed the needle through. It was one continuous stitch, in and out, around and around. 

He lifted his bad arm and tugged the thread to get it through another pass and choked on a yelp. Some odd burn, some wrong something ripped through his side. All at once, it felt like being shot all over again. In the dim light of the bathroom, the blood that slipped down his side looked almost black. If he didn’t know better, he’d say it was infected. It couldn’t be infected though–he didn’t have time for that. Vic, asleep on the couch just feet away from the bathroom door, needed him to be normal. 

The team needed him to be normal. They had the homecoming game on the way. They had the game that would decide whether or not they went to the championships. He was their quarterback. There was just too much on the line for Rex to go down to a stupid gunshot wound.

He’d never live it down if he did. 

“Hey, big dog?” Vic’s sleepy voice ripped Rex back into reality. Into the bathroom where Vic’s lighter lay on the sink, unsuccessful in cauterizing the wound closed. Into the bathroom where his blood was puddling on the cheap, laminated floors and their one remaining lightbulb was barely doing anything against the windowless darkness. “You good? Thought I heard you say something.”

Rex’s face burned. “...Yeah, yeah.” He called, voice just barely staying steady. “Ate a fucked up burrito in the cafeteria.”

Vic laughed, footsteps already walking away. “Oh fuck, sorry man. I’ll leave you to it. Say hi to the porcelain god for me.”

Rex leaned over the sink as he started to pick the bloody thread out of his side. He untied it from the needle and tossed it into the trash can. “Yeah, can do.” Letting out a rattling sigh, Rex pulled a fresh length of thread and began to get it through the needle’s eye. 

The team needed him. Vic needed him. He couldn’t let them know he was hurt. 

Rex pulled his sleep shirt up and gripped it between his teeth, eying the gunshot wound again. He would just keep trying. He couldn’t bear to do anything else.

@honeybees-125 @inscrutable-shadow and worm you're already on here but ily @bxtterflystxtches

[pavonisgiron]

It's time... I have WAY too many pieces stored that just aren't receiving the love they deserve, so I'm listing a bunch of art for sale throughout today in chunks. Prices will range from $35-130, all are on bristol or watercolor paper. These three pieces are from 2020, and while I still have an enormous fondness for them, it’s time for them to find a new home.

1. Clay dog in the desert. Acrylic and oil pastel. 15x11in. $125 (CLAIMED)

2. Study of a clay dog. Had a lot of fun with this one! Acrylic. 9.5x13in. $75  (CLAIMED)

3. Joshua Tree. Another old one but still a fav! Gouache and acrylic. 15x11in. $115

If you are interested in any of these pieces, please comment, message me directly, or respond to the Twitter thread here. First come, first claimed. Paypal preferred!

[estarion]

this is somewhere in my guidelines:

i prefer shorter threads ( max 250 words per post ), but occasionally will engage in lengthier exchanges.

and uhh, lads. that's where my strength is at rn. 250 is even pushing it, lmao. really it's more a 125 max atm for most things lskdflskdfsdf

[anjali-ars281-fall24]

Silver Threads of Identity

My work captures the timeless beauty and intricate details of traditional Gujarati "shringaar" through a personal and intimate lens. Each photograph focuses on specific elements of adornment, from the delicate kamarbandh to the ornate maangtika, symbolizing both cultural heritage and personal identity.

Through a series of seven images, I aim to highlight the power of these accessories to tell a story about tradition, femininity, and self-expression without showing the whole face. By isolating the details—whether it’s the graceful curve of a jhumka or the vibrant pattern of a jutti—my work invites viewers to explore how these adornments reflect the deeper nuances of cultural pride and individual beauty.

While some images blur the boundaries of clarity, leaving room for imagination, others bring attention to the textures, the shimmer, and the craftsmanship of the jewelry and attire. This intentional mix reflects the way cultural identity is both seen and felt, not only in the visible symbols but in the subtle, often overlooked details that give them meaning.

ISO : 100 F - stop: f/5 Shutter speed: 1/200 sec.

ISO : 200 F - stop : f/5 Shutter speed: 1/200 sec.

ISO : 100 F - stop : f/4 Shutter speed : 1/200 sec.

ISO : 100 F- stop : f/4 Shutter speed : 1/125 sec.

ISO : 200 F - stop : f/5 Shutter speed : 1/200 sec.

ISO : 100 F- stop : f/4 Shutter speed : 1/320 sec.

ISO : 200 F - stop : f/5 Shutter speed : 1/200 sec.

[siegecraft]

Custom Notebook Commissions Open

One of my non-TTRPG selves is a bookbinder with Amethyst Alchemist, my partner's sustainable bookbinding and embroidery business, and we are currently open for commissions from now until December 3!

These are handmade, custom notebooks from recycled and new archival quality materials, and they make perfect holiday gifts.

The commission form is here.

Slots are limited to ensure pre-holiday delivery in the continental United States—all commissions will be shipped on or before December 18 to meet the USPS Priority Mail deadline.

Text version and more details below the cut:

Commission Options

Option 1: Mini Notebook

A plain mini notebook without art embedded in the cover starts at $40.

Option 2: Designed Notebook

A designed notebook with art in the cover starts at $125.

Art embeds include embroidery, cross stitch, and felt appliqué—we work with you on art style and fabric selection and provide a sketch of the art embed before starting work.

Both options include a choice of over 200 fabrics, white watercolor endpaper, and a binding thread of your choice.

Pricing Information

Beyond the base price, cost increases are based on:

Dot grid or lined pages instead of blank (+$5)

Cost of additional materials required (e.g. fabric purchase, waxing custom thread, custom endpapers, custom interior paper like watercolor or aged)

Time to make the art embed

Payment

Payment is made with a 50 percent deposit up front, 50 percent on completion. Do not until we've confirmed we can take your commission and we’ve discussed and agreed on pricing—we send invoices! Books are shipped upon receipt of second payment.

You can check out the Amethyst Alchemist Instagram for more examples. We're excited to work with you to design the exact book you (or a loved one) are looking for! Again, commissions close at 11:59pm EST on December 3rd and won’t reopen until 2024, so reach out now!

[stateofsport211]

The Challengers Are Real: An Introductory Post to the ATP Challenger Tour

A more compact version in the form of a Twitter thread can be found here.

Mike Faist (left) and Josh O'Connor (right) play Art Donaldson and Patrick Zweig in Challengers, portraying New Rochelle Challenger 2019 (📸 Challengers official trailer on YouTube)

If anyone comes here from the Challengers movie starting Zendaya, Josh O’Connor, and Mike Faist, which plot centered on a former Grand Slam tennis champion who registers to compete in a Challenger-level tournament and is somewhat drawn against the former lover of his wife (and coach) after a losing streak, even minus the romance part (which might or might not be true off-court), the plot is reminiscent to the real-life occurrence as a player’s career might have winded down due to a lot of factors (that could even go hand-in-hand), most notably injury and loss of form.

The ATP Challenger Tour was established in 1978 with 18 tournaments (in more limited locations than today) to serve as a feeder system for the ATP Tour, where it often operates 24/7 with more than 180 events in 40 countries nowadays, with the potential to increase this year. Being likened to the Minor Leagues in baseball, with players playing better than the club players (including us), it is characterized as the place where people try to transition from juniors/college to the professional Tour, hanging on due to enormous factors that do not allow them to break through (just yet), and regaining the form they once had (especially for former top players), which are the reasons the Challenger Tour is often dubbed as “the real deal” instead of the main Tour itself.

Beware of the length. This is a possible long read as this fan article aims to introduce non-tennis die-hard/hipster fans or even casual/non-tennis fans to the real-life ATP Challenger Tour. It might be essay-ish, but it can be useful!

How Are the Events Organized?

The tennis tournament hierarchy (📸 self-illustrated)

As an intermediary between the players who are starting, hanging on, and approaching retirement, the ATP Challenger Tour is in the middle of the professional tennis tournament hierarchy. It is the second-tier tour to the ATP Tour tournament structure, hereby referred to as the main Tour, and the ITF World Tour Tennis (formerly Futures). In this regard, the Grand Slams, whose scale is higher than the main Tour tournaments, are overseen by the International Tennis Federation (ITF), as well as the aforementioned ITF World Tour Tennis and the tennis field in the Olympics organized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The Challenger Tour itself comprised as many as 196 tournaments in 2023 held in 46 countries in comparison to the main Tour's 64 tournaments in 29 countries, while the ITF World Tour Tennis tournaments had a whopping 571 tournaments in 73 countries as of 2023, strengthening its position as the fundamental pillar of the professional tennis for the development of the future tennis stars with the Challenger Tour as its in-between.

On another note, the rankings system in tennis is updated almost weekly (except for the 2-week-long tournaments both in Tour-level and Grand Slams) compared to golf, for example.

The ATP Challenger Tour logo banner that was placed in the net during the Lille Challenger earlier this year (📸 Lille Challenger official website)

Back to how the Challenger Tour works, even though it is frequently averaged between 1-5 tournaments per week, with the least being in the week of the Roland Garros/French Open qualification rounds (1 in 2023, which was the Skopje Challenger), they are currently divided through 5 tiers depending on the points won by the eventual champions according to the most recent reform starting in 2023, which are:

Challenger 50 is the lowest tier;

Challenger 75;

Challenger 100;

Challenger 125;

Challenger 175, usually held on the second week of the 2-week Masters 1000s (the highest Tour-level event after the ITF-sanctioned Grand Slams) and often likened to a 250 (the lowest Tour-level tournament in scale) for their heavy draws.

Compared to the Tour level, the Challenger-level calendar is revealed periodically (usually every 3 months) and is accessible through the ATP’s website. To add, a Challenger season lasts slightly longer than the Tour-level calendar, for example in 2023–which main Tour season concluded with the Nitto ATP Tour Finals on November 20 and the Davis Cup Finals Knockout Stages on November 27–where there are 4 Challenger tournaments in the week of November 27-December 3, which are located in:

Yokkaichi, Japan (outdoor hard)

Maspalomas, Spain (outdoor clay)

Maia, Portugal (indoor clay)

Temuco, Chile (outdoor hard)

Clement Tabur (left) and Marco Trungelliti (right) as the runner-up and champion of the Kigali 2 Challenger, respectively, which took place in the Rwandan capital in the beginning of February 2024 (📸 Imvaho Nshya)

The tournaments themselves take place in a variety of locations, which will be dubbed as "their own swings" by taking into account its frequent differences between the main Tour events, either by location or by surface. For example, looking at the past few years:

2024's Indian swing (a string of Indian Challenger events, in this context) started weeks after the Australian Open with the Chennai Challenger, followed by Pune, Bengaluru, and New Delhi;

Challenger's own indoor (hard/clay) season is separated into two, which are the beginning of the season on par with the Tour's pre-Middle East swing European indoor season (e.g. for 2024, Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve, Quimper, Koblenz, Nottingham 1, Cherbourg, Glasgow, Pau, Lille, and Lugano), with an addition of indoor clay Challengers like in Szekesfehervar (usually in March) and Maia (usually year-end), and toward the end of the season on par with the year-end European indoor season (as of 2023, e.g. Orleans, Bratislava 2, Hamburg, Ortisei, Bergamo, Helsinki, and Danderyd).

In addition, the North American circuit is notably divided into indoors at the beginning of the year (e.g. for 2024. Cleveland; and add Rome, GA Challenger in 2023) and after the US Open (most notably Charlottesville, Knoxville, and Champaign Challengers), and outdoors season with the concluded Indian Wells Challenger between the end of January and the beginning of February 2024, and while the Tour-level grass season came into a close, the outdoor hard-court in Palmas del Mar kick-started the summer hard-court season in 2023, but the Phoenix Challenger stood in between the Indian Wells and Miami Masters 1000s held in the former's second week;

Challenger Tour's own clay season, both European and Latin American, which will be explained in a separate section considering its prevalence and impact to the current tennis landscape;

Other than Tunis, another notable tournament held in Africa was the Kigali Challenger in Rwanda from earlier this year, which became the seventh African country to organize a Challenger-level event;

Challengers' Mexican swing, which differed from the 2 tournament stops on the main Tour as this featured several clay-court and hard-court tournaments;

The Challengers used to have some carpet tournaments based in Eckental and Ismaning, the former which was folded in 2022 due to budget and support constraints, with the latter being the sole carpet tournament of the Challenger Tour since then despite carpet tournaments still being played in the ITF (former Futures) level;

The Challengers' own Asian Swing, which spanned between the South Korean swing spread before the French Open (around April), with parts of the Chinese swing being added to the timeline in 2024 before its second chapter in between/after the US Open (September-November) in line with the main Tour's Asian Swing, added by the Japanese swing to close the year (per the 2023 calendar).

Speaking of the Tour being 24/7, there will be several weeks where tennis visibly never stops. For example, in the second week of April 2024 (Apr 8-14), there are tournaments in:

Busan, South Korea (outdoor hard, which commenced the first half of the Asian Challenger swing);

Split, Croatia (outdoor clay);

Madrid, Spain (outdoor clay);

Sarasota, Florida, United States of America (outdoor green/HarTru clay, which kicked off one-third of the US green clay court circuit pre-French Open);

Morelos, Mexico (outdoor altitude hard, which continued this half of the Mexican Challenger swing, which succeeded the clay-court tournaments of that swing).

Furthermore, there is also a possibility that the 4-5 tournaments held that week will be played on 3 different surfaces, mainly clay, hard, and grass, with the grass-court tournaments being a preparation for the Wimbledon Championships; however, all of the grass-court Challengers solely take place in the United Kingdom. For this year, an example of those weeks is the week of June 3 (the 23rd week of the year), where there are 5 tournaments played on 3 different surfaces, which are located in:

Surbiton, United Kingdom (outdoor grass);

Heilbronn, Germany (outdoor clay);

Prostejov, Czech Republic (outdoor clay);

Zagreb, Croatia (outdoor clay);

Tyler, Texas, United States of America (outdoor hard).

Challenger Tour's Own Clay Season

One of the most prominent Challenger-level clay tournaments in Buenos Aires, with a packed home crowd (📸 ATP official website)

Even though the main Tour events have their own clay swing during the Golden Swing (the South American clay-court events usually held in February before the Indian Wells and Miami Masters 1000s, the latter that is famously called the "Sunshine Double") right after the two said hard-court Masters 1000 tournaments (starting from the end of March until the beginning of June), as well as a mini-clay season after the Wimbledon Championships before the North American summer hard-court swing (between July-August), the clay-court season never stops in the Challenger Tour, especially South America.

Parts of the Challenger Tour in South America were initiated by former World No. 31 Horacio de la Peña called the Legion Sudamericana in 2021 as he pointed out the lack of opportunities for Latin American players to develop their game on their home soil. From there, he brought the South American tennis federations together (such as but not limited to Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Uruguay) that not only comprised the clay-court Challengers as they mostly grew up on clay but also featured the hard-court Challengers, such as the Brasilia and Temuco Challengers by the end of the last season (2023), leading up to the Australian summer hard-court season to start the following year. This generated a huge impact on the growth of Latin American tennis as this was supported by the immense passion of the local fans as proven by their well-attended events. For instance, in 2022 alone (a year after this initiation), Argentinean players won 23 Challenger titles and 14 South American players partook in the Australian Open qualification rounds, which increased three-fold compared to their 2021 Australian Open qualifications participation rate as there were 20 players from the region in 2023 compared to only 7 in 2021. The number also grew into 10 South American players inside the Top 100 as of April 29, 2024, in a group of 35 Latin American players inside the Top 300 by that time, and could possibly be higher as the year progressed.

On the other hand, the clay season in the other parts of the world (mainly Europe) spanned from before the French Open until almost the end of the year. For example, most of the 24 Challenger-level tournaments held in Italy were clay-court tournaments, which explained the steady rise of Italian tennis as they invested a lot in their players' development from the availability of the lower-level tournaments until the coaching department to add to their passion of sports in general. Some others took place in different parts of Europe, including another possible tennis powerhouse in the Czech Republic, where Challenger tournaments held there are mostly clay-court ones, thanks to their grassroots development as well that cultivates the passion for the game in them (including having tennis courts almost everywhere), hence there are (young) talents from almost everywhere in the country.

Detailed writing about the South American Challenger's clay-court circuit as part of the entire pre-Roland Garros/French Open qualification build-up article, dated from the beginning of the 2023 clay season, can be found here.

Broadcast

The Challenger TV advertisement on the ATP official website (📸 ATP official website)

The ATP Challenger Tour is broadcasted in a dedicated part of the ATP official website, free of charge and repeatable as long as there are no technical problems on their website. People could rewind and document their moments, from the most hilarious ones to the hottest tennis shots and points the players constructed. Starting at the beginning of this year, compared to what is commonly said as the “dodgy CCTV camera” stream that was used back in the day, the current streams have HD cameras, making the moments even more visible.

Interestingly, these past few years, several Challenger tournaments have also been broadcasted on the local televisions of the country (or a specific place) where the competition takes place despite only the main courts or the later rounds. For instance, the tournaments in Latin America are often broadcasted by ESPN (Star+), DirecTV, or TyC Sports (in Argentina), ORR in Austria, L’Equipe TV/BeIN Sports for some French tournaments, and recently, Tennis Channel 2 broadcasts the Phoenix Challenger as part of their attempt to broadcast more US-based Challenger tournaments.

Some upcoming sections might have contained the outline of select players' journey to the author's best knowledge and how the Challenger Tour and the recent enhancements from the ATP play a part in their careers. Out of plethora of tennis players, they are just (tangible) examples of the influence of this circuit before or during breaking through/coming back to the ranks.

Top Players and Emerging Talents

According to the ATP Rulebook, it is stated that within the top players, the Top 10 players 21 days before the first Monday of the ATP Challenger Tour tournament are prohibited from entering by all means possible, be it through direct entry, wild card, or Special Exempts, especially in the 75-175 categories. For those ranked 11-50 by then, they could enter the 175 category per their ranks 3 weeks before the said tournament, and the ATP also has to approve their wild cards should there be a proposal, receiving a limited amount of wild cards depending on the Challenger Tour and the Tour-level schedule for that week. However, those players ranked 1-150 by then are not allowed to enter the 50 category, with the players ranked between 51-150 can receive a wild card upon approval (especially 50-100, where they must have the same nationality as the tournament).

Former World No. 1 Andy Murray (left) with his Surbiton Challenger title (📸 LTA) and former World No. 4 Kei Nishikori (right) with his Palmas del Mar Challenger Title (📸 The Japan Times), all won last year

Usually, former top players partake in the Challenger Tour for numerous reasons, mainly returning from injury (or suspension, if any) and grinding to regain their form back, which often takes forever–or, in some other instances, it's the nearest tournament to say farewell (as a professional player) to the sport that raised them. One of the most prominent examples from the first category was from former World No. 1 Andy Murray, who made his return to tennis with a metal hip in the summer of 2019, where he also rebuilt through the Challenger Tour until he became a permanent fixture again several years later, including his participation in the grass-court Challengers to prepare for the bigger-scale tournaments, as he won the Surbiton-Nottingham Challenger double in 2023–and somehow found himself winning the Aix-en-Provence Challenger on clay months prior, and former World No. 4 Kei Nishikori, who returned from his injuries in Palmas del Mar Challenger 2023 as an unranked player receiving a wild card to partake, winning the whole tournament afterward to mark his comeback to the sport despite his inability to catch a break in between once again. Former World No. 6 Matteo Berrettini, who was sidelined for more than a year due to various injuries, came back to become the runner-up in the Phoenix Challenger weeks before winning his first ATP-level title in two years in Marrakech (250). Recently, Frances Tiafoe hit a rough patch since the end of last year, which extended to this year's clay season, where he takes a wild card to rebuild in the Cagliari Challenger (which is a 175) for the week in hopes of rebuilding the confidence missing from his game, starting his campaign in the next few days as he received a first-round bye.

Ugo Humbert (left) with his Metz (250) 2023 title (📸 Tenis Magazyn) and Jan-Lennard Struff (right) with his Madrid Masters 1000 2023 runner-up trophy (📸 Sport 1 Germany)

There were several other notable stories where they reached new heights after being unable to catch a break regardless of age (for the older players, they are often called "late bloomers"). Ugo Humbert, who repeatedly ended up injured within the past years, marked the beginning of his resurgence with the Rennes Challenger 2022 title, followed by surviving an almost 4-hour match to win the Pau Challenger 2023, as well as the Cagliari Challenger at the same year before making stronger runs in both summer grass and hard-court seasons, ultimately winning the Metz (250) title on his home soil to out-perform his previous career-high ranking of 25 attained back in 2021, now having the best ranking of 13 from April 15, 2024. While it might have been the end of the road for Jan-Lennard Struff, he picked up where he left off last year by reaching 3 Challenger-level semifinals before re-entering the Top 100 thanks to his Monte Carlo Masters 1000 semifinal appearance as a qualifier, followed by becoming the runner-up of Madrid Masters 1000 as a lucky loser. Proving the doubters wrong once again, he finally won his maiden ATP-level title in Munich (250), where he became the third-oldest first-time champion since the ATP Tour was established in 1990.

Pierre Hugues-Herbert (top) won the Quimper Challenger 2024 (📸 Ouest France) and Benoit Paire (bottom) won the Puerto Vallarta Challenger 2023 (📸 Noticias AL Mexico)

However, not everyone had a successful comeback story. While former singles World No. 36 and doubles World No. 2 Pierre-Hugues Herbert, who also completed his career Grand Slam in doubles with Nicolas Mahut rebuilds as this was written, his comeback was plagued by some setbacks and injuries until the middle of 2023, as well as some other issues in between. Right as he started to get the knack again after winning the Quimper Challenger 2024 and becoming the runner-up of the Naples Challenger, another setback occurred in taking care of his youngest son who had just undergone surgery. The struggle can also be felt for former singles World No. 16 Benoit Paire, who fell as low as being ranked 217 on February 2, 2023, due to several losing streaks. Even though he found some knack after winning the Puerto Vallarta Challenger 2023, followed by the San Benedetto del Tronto Challenger months later before closing his season by being the Maia Challenger runner-up, his rollercoaster results comprised the rest of his season, including another string of early exits to start 2024 that prompted speculations of his retirement after the Rome Masters 1000 and the French Open/Roland Garros based on his latest updates.

Patrick Kypson with his Cleveland Challenger 2024 title (left) and Steve Johnson with his Bloomfield Hills Challenger 2023 title (right) (📸 ATP Challenger Tour's official Twitter–1, 2)

Often, which is also applicable to emerging talents, these Challengers are also part of the reciprocal Wild Card Challenge for the countries holding a Grand Slam, for example how the green clay trio of Sarasota-Tallahassee-Savannah Challenger in the United States became an addition to the other red-clay events spread in the different parts of the world for the players from the United States to compete to earn Roland Garros/French Open wild cards as a reward of their performance (as well as for their French counterparts within their system made by their federation) or an equivalent challenge for their summer hard-court season to form the US Open Wild Card Challenge in addition to counting their performances in equivalent surfaces corresponding to the Grand Slams. For instance, this paved the way for Patrick Kypson, who earned both the French Open 2023 and the Australian Open 2024 wild cards thanks to his exceptional performance in the mentioned series of tournaments, backing the latter up with a title in Cleveland Challenger, as well as solid runs in Delray Beach (250) the week after to finally enter the Top 150 for the first time. In contrast, after winning 2 Challenger titles in Bloomfield Hills and Lexington, former World No. 26 Steve Johnson won the US Open Wild Card Challenge last year and received a wild-card to the US Open last year, which turned out to be his last appearance in his home Slam (since he is from the United States), as he decided to hang his racquet during the Indian Wells Masters 1000 earlier this year.

Today, young talents also benefit from the College/Junior/NextGen Accelerator Programs that speed up their rise, which will be explained right in the next section.

The College/Junior/NextGen Accelerator Programs

The Junior/College Accelerator Program diagrams (📸 ATP official website)

For some people who had outstanding junior careers or even collegiate careers (for the latter, it is now for those who attended the US universities, notably playing in the NCAA), they are rewarded with the College/Junior Accelerator Program to try their hands against the best of the game as early as they transition from junior/college to the professional Tour. This partly answered the previous concerns about players having difficulties transitioning between the junior and professional circuit while recognizing their immense potential at times, thus the necessity to promote the rise of young talents to build through these accelerated opportunities.

In this case, the stand-outs from juniors (mostly between 1-30 in the ITF junior rankings, as well as the junior Grand Slam champions and finalists), college (ranks 1-20 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association/ITA rankings), and NextGen (for players aged 20 and under inside the Top 350 ranking range) by the end of each season will be allotted certain occasions (and select tournament levels) to play in the main draw of both the Challenger Tour (in this case, it is for junior and college) and the main Tour-level (which applies to the NextGen players), as well as the ITF World Tour Tennis-level (for the up-and-coming juniors in a certain ranking range as illustrated). This hopes to nurture their talent and improve their pathway to develop their game, thus elevating their progress through the higher ranks of the game.

Rodrigo Pacheco Mendez (top left, 📸 International Tennis Federation), Joao Fonseca (top right, 📸 ATP official website), Martin Landaluce (bottom left, 📸 Tennisnet.com), and Ben Shelton (bottom right 📸 On Running Switzerland) as one of the examples of rapid rises through or influencing the Accelerator Programs

Outside of these, making it more tangible, some people in this category notably received wild cards in their local tournaments that could also help their development as they only allotted limited occasions to use their junior rankings. This might be the case for former junior World No. 1 Rodrigo Pacheco Mendez, who received numerous wild cards in Mexican Challenger and Tour-level events within the past 2 years before finally making his Challenger-level quarterfinal debut this year in Acapulco, or another former junior World No. 1 Joao Fonseca, who also benefited through a combination of his junior rankings/wild-cards/direct entries between 2022 and 2023, paving him the way to become the Asuncion Challenger runner-up and in the main Tour, the Rio de Janeiro (an ATP 500-level tournament) quarterfinals on his home ground before forging his college eligibility (right before starting his academic year) to turn professional. In addition, another former junior World No. 1 in 2023, Martin Landaluce, who notably trained in Rafael Nadal Academy, also has his Challenger and main Tour-level participation a combination between most of the wild cards and direct entry apart from the direct entry when his ranking is sufficient, which started to pay off when he reached his maiden Challenger-level quarterfinals in Alicante last year before reaching his first Challenger-level semifinal in Tenerife 2 just several months ago.

For college, this might not be possible without Ben Shelton's rapid rise, who became a runner-up in 2 Challenger-level tournaments and won 3 back-to-back tournaments (Charlottesville-Knoxville-Champaign) in 2022, some of them through wild cards thanks to his potential being spotted after being crowned the champion of the 2021/22 NCAA Singles Championship when attending the University of Florida, solidifying his rise through his fourth-round appearances in the Australian and US Open before winning his first Tour-level title in Tokyo (500).

Behind the Scenes of the Real-Life Challengers

Billy Harris in front of his van, the vehicle he used to travel between tournaments for three and a half years (📸 The Times)

As of 2017, there are more than 14,000 tennis players (male or female) who tried to make ends meet. However, only a handful of them could make the cut in the world's best, undergoing an arduous journey to the top, and most were unable to continue due to travel and financial difficulties. The latter is crucial not only for them to participate in a tournament (and its related logistics) but also for them to be able to practice (with a coach or more), to recover (e.g. through physiotherapy), as well as numerous other necessities while on Tour. Often, some could not afford traveling coaches for this reason, and finding sponsors could also be a struggle for them to keep moving forward. These are some reasons tennis players are often regarded as independent contractors.

Generally observing, there are various examples from players to manage them, but not everyone can live the life depicted in the movie. Some might have ended up playing select tournaments a year, sleeping in a van for the nearest tournaments compared to any other accommodation options, or regrettably, resorting to match-fixing (which also became an extensive issue for tennis in general) due to the little points and prize money they receive in the lower-level tournaments before the ATP institutes the prize-money-related reforms as part of the Challenger restructuring in 2023, as well as the Baseline initiative (with the financial stability for the Top 150 being the goal) later that year.

Some who could not catch a break, for instance, suffering from continuous injuries, took ages to (re)build from where they left off, and those who could not take it any longer gave up playing the sport due to the "demands" needed to reach the top. In the latter's case, some turned out to be a coach (like Zendaya's character, Tashi Duncan), a real-life case for the example of Gianluigi Quinzi.

These days, thanks to platforms like YouTube (and other social media platforms), some players document their experiences through their vlogs (video blogs) starting from how to win their first ATP point, how to travel in between tournaments, as well as preparing for the said competitions, until analyzing their own matches. Some prominent examples came from such as but not limited to:

Simon Freund

Federico Coria (look up: Fede Coria)

Juan Pablo Paz

Fabien Salle

Felix Mischker (look up: Tennis Brothers)

Karue Sell (look up: My Tennis HQ)

Challenger Doubles

Marcus Willis/Christian Harrison, the winner of this year's Savannah Challenger (📸 WSAV-TV)

In addition to the singles sector, the Challenger Tour typically has a doubles sector. Interestingly, this is another cross-line between up-and-coming doubles specialists, who are the players who only play doubles for several reasons (which also includes doubling the joy, doubling the fun, and doubling the chaos altogether), and those who frequently play singles but frequently/occasionally play doubles as well. While sometimes the consideration comes from the extra prize money they could earn from the latter kind of players, some turned out to have equal potential in doubles just like in singles or vice versa (having their potential also spotted in the doubles scene before singles), often having higher doubles ranking than singles despite playing both (which could be the case for those like Orlando Luz and Daniel Cukierman). Speaking of doubling the fun and mess, the Challenger-level doubles matches can be as hilarious as exhibition matches, which was exemplified by the Little Rock Challenger 2023 semifinals between Alexis Galarneau/Nicolas Moreno de Alboran and Callum Puttergill/Kelsey Stevenson.

Somehow, some rising pairs also started their way here and made their waves, often by winning multiple titles. For instance, before their doubles break-up at the end of the US Open 2023, Julian Cash/Henry Patten notably won 11 Challenger titles, 10 of which were won in 2022 (including the year-end Maia Challenger), the last one being in the Sarasota Challenger 2023. There are also some notable up-and-coming pairs, with some also having their collegiate roots, such as Ryan Seggerman/Patrik Trhac, who won 7 ITF titles before winning 3 Challenger titles since they paired up last year, or Sadio Doumbia/Fabien Reboul, who became more prominent as they partner more often these past few years as proven by their 15 Challenger-level titles since 2019 and 3 ATP Tour-level titles since winning their first title in Chengdu (250) 2023. There is also a “rebirth” lore in former singles World No. 322 Marcus Willis, who announced his retirement in 2021 and decided to give the professional Tour one more go a year later as a doubles specialist, winning 3 Challenger titles by the time this was written with 2 different partners to kick off this season.

Harri Heliovaara/Lloyd Glasspool, one of the most notable Challenger doubles breakout (📸 LTA)

One of the other remarkable doubles breakouts from the Challenger Tour came from Harri Heliovaara/Lloyd Glasspool, who won 4 Challenger titles in 2021 and became a runner-up in 2 other tournaments before breaking out as an alternate in Rome Masters 1000 by reaching the third round before reaching the quarterfinals in the French Open, partnering for at least one more year before splitting after the Shanghai Masters 1000. Currently, Heliovaara plays with another rising doubles player in Henry Patten (who came to the scene with Julian Cash before their split), as Lloyd Glasspool plays with veteran Jean-Julien Rojer. Since watching Challengers is free, it is time to watch more (Challenger) doubles, just like Tennis Tribe campaigns for the main Tour as well.

The Challenger Fandom and How They Stan Players #OnTheRise

The full-house stands during the ATP Challenger Tour tournaments in Shenzhen (top) and Buenos Aires (bottom) (📸 ATP Challenger Tour, the latter via Buenos Aires Challenger)

The tennis fandom extends from the main Tour-level fans, which most people usually are, and the "die-hard" fans, some of whom are dubbed as tennis hipsters, which is a group of passionate fans who adore the players' grind in the lower-level tournaments (Challengers and ITFs), often preferring to watch or follow matches in that level, some of which being unstreamed, than the main professional Tour-level matches. They even have their own definitions of talents (= potential players) and goats (= greatest of all time), where the potential of these players is revealed as the year progresses and as the circuit runs regardless of age.

However, parts of the fandom are still being shadowed by people who occasionally/frequently bet on the outcomes of a game/set/match, some of which influenced match-fixing practices as mentioned in the previous sections. While betting seems tempting, as many warnings on responsible betting as there are, it is not encouraged (especially at the places where it is illegal) not only for financial reasons but also affects self-esteem, relationships, physical and mental health, work performance, and social life, which can harm family, friends, workplace, and communities, as evident in the broader tennis issue.

Interestingly, some tournaments are well-attended, with even the Challenger-level players and tournaments gathering more fans to appreciate the game and the grind. Some such examples are the Latin American events (e.g. in Argentina, Chile, and Brazil, among others), the French tournaments (where a famous chant “papapapapapapapapapa ole” is chanted, it must be either in French tournaments or involving French players), the competitions held in Italy and the United Kingdom as there are a handful of fans also watching the Challenger tournaments all the way in Japan and South Korea, as well as the recently-concluded (by the time of this draft) Kigali Challenger in Rwanda. Some tournaments have “free entry” in most parts of the day, while some tournaments have (at their local rates) more affordable tickets to attend the later days of the tournament. Some become passionate fans of a particular player/some players they followed or regularly attend the nearest Challenger tournament near them, and some can also be inspired to pick up the racquet and play several years after their attendance.

From this, the lower-level tennis fandom might not be as prevalent as the main Tour, but even without the gambling element, some become legitimate avid fans for their love of the game. They chase talents, find joy in their respective journeys, and are pleased should they break through or break even after hanging on for several years. This is in line with the ATP Challenger Tour’s #OnTheRise campaign, where they championed what is seen as a repetitive process of grinding, which represented hard work, perseverance, and discipline, paving the way to greatness. This is sometimes overlooked due to the (statistical) comparative nature between one player and another since there is also a perception that life is not a race, and everyone has their own path to the top, which tennis opens the gate to. Ultimately, for some “die-hards,” following the players from the start, all the effort, until they rise or become one of the legends is a pleasure. Sometimes, these fans also made sure “they are there for/until their last dance” when the player’s last-ever professional tournament played to honor their incredible careers, which marked their retirement from playing tennis professionally, took place in their nearby Challenger tournament, or those that made a significance in their careers. All those reasons are believed to be also behind the #WatchChallengersFolks campaign, which has been widespread on Twitter these past few years.

Important Links

ATP Challenger TV (free broadcast of the Challenger Tour matches)

ATP Challenger Tour annual calendar, updated periodically

Entry Lists (for Challenger-level and above to check on the participants of each event)

Live Rankings (real-time ranking estimates before the official rankings come out) (1, 2)