Austria’s tennis elite serve in Tulln

For a week, fans in Tulln will once again be offered a game of world-class tennis with the best Austrian and international players. The proximity to the stadium is a particular attraction for fans – you can get much closer to the players here than in the bigger leagues. “Often you can’t get closer than 50 meters to the players”, confirms tournament director Florian Laetjep. “It’s very different with us. Here, as a spectator, you feel like you’re in the middle of the race and you move hand in hand with the players throughout the week of the championship.

Rodionov’s biggest domestic hope

After Sebastian Ofner and Dominic Thiem weren’t initially in Tulln, Austrian hopes rest primarily on Yuri Rodionov. The district of Matzener (Ganserndorf district) recently made it into the top 100 in the world rankings for the first time. In the local tournament, he is number two in the competition and goes for victory. This will be his second Challenger title of the year.

Dennis Novak would also like to have it. The Wiener Neustadt player had to take a long break at the start of the year due to torn ligaments in his ankle and now wants to strike again. A special incentive is the proximity of his residence to Klosterneuburg (Tuln district). “The tournament is only 25 minutes from my home, so it’s a real home tournament for me. I’m really looking forward to it,” Novak said.

Philip Mesiwicz already knows how to get to the final in front of the home crowd. Styria had surprisingly reached the final of the ATP tournament in Kitzbühel in 2022. With the tournament’s top player, Spaniard Albert Ramos Vinolas, Misulic was pitted against a difficult opponent in the opening. There is also a Tollner homegrown champion: After winning the doubles competition in 2022, Lukas Midler and partner Alexander Erler will only compete in singles this year. In the first round, an Austrian duel against Neil Oberlitner awaits us.

Also major international players are in the business

Spain’s Albert Ramos-Vinolas, opening rival to Philip Misulich, is one of the favorites from an international point of view. The current 88th place in the ATP World Ranking is Tolln’s first. Germany’s Maximilian Marterer, who managed to break into the top 50 in the world rankings a few years ago, also has a good chance of winning the tournament. With Josef Kovalik, the defending champions from Slovakia are also back at the start – just like their final rival from last year, Dutchman Jelli Sales.

But not only world-class tennis players compete in Tulln. As part of the One Shot Challenge, 32 players of different skill levels compete against each other. The game is played according to normal tennis rules, but with only one point. The individual pool decides whether you win or lose a duel and advance to the next round. The winner will receive two VIP tickets to the final.