Eight talented youngsters battle it out to qualify for the "Upper Austria Ladies Linz 2021"

The prelude to the WTA tournament "Upper Austria Ladies Linz 2021" (6 - 12 November) is the "Young Ladies Wildcard Challenge", which will take place from 28 to 30 October at the Froschberg Tennis Centre. Eight Austrian tennis talents (U 21) will once again compete for a coveted "free ticket" this year, which entitles the winner of the challenge to take part in the WTA tournament qualifiers. The finalist also has the chance to receive a wild card as a lucky loser.
 
"14 girls have registered, eight have managed to take part in the Wildcard Challenge 2021. The first six players qualified according to the international ranking (ITF/General Class): Veronika Bokor, Irina Dshandshgava, Ines Faltinger (all from Lower Austria), Stefanie Auer, and Daniela Glanzer from Upper Austria as well as Tamara Kostic from Vienna. The ÖTV has awarded a wild card to Mavie Österreicher, the winner of the premiere event in 2018, and the tournament organiser MatchMaker has awarded a wild card to Nina Walter from Upper Austria," explains tournament director Carla Maria Nareyka.
 
ÖTV sports coordinator Marion Maruska says in general: "For our young players, the Wildcard Challenge in Linz is a great opportunity not only to gain experience on the court at the highest international level, but also to experience the best players in the world up close, to learn from them and to learn something from them." Maruska has this to say about Mavie Österreicher in particular: "Mavie got the wildcard from the ÖTV because she was injured for almost two years and only started playing again in the summer. She has had great success since then and has already worked her way back up the rankings. Mavie reached the quarter-finals at the last 5,000-dollar tournament in Antalya and will appear for the first time in the next WTA rankings."