Former Linz winner Anastasia Potapova returns

She feels right at home in Austria! Anastasia Potapova, the winner of the women's tennis classic in Linz in 2023, is the first absolute top player to confirm her participation in the Upper Austria Ladies Linz 2025. The 23-year-old is definitely one of the top favourites for the WTA 500 event at the Linz Design Center, which will take place from 26 January to 2 February 2025. 

Potapova experienced one of the most emotional tennis weeks of her career when she triumphed in Linz almost two years ago. She beat Croatia's Petra Martic in the final of the traditional tournament on the Danube and could hardly believe her luck afterwards. "Linz definitely has a place in my heart now. The Austrian crowd was incredible. I was surprised how happy the fans were to see me and how they carried me through the whole week," said Potapova, who also had a lot of fun at the subsequent "Trophy photo shoot" in Linz's Brucknerhaus. Last year, she was eliminated in the quarter-finals by the eventual finalist Ekaterina Alexandrova. Now Potapova, who won her first WTA tournament in Istanbul in 2022, wants to attack again: "I have such great memories of Linz and will never forget this incredible week with my tournament victory. Now I'm really looking forward to returning to one of my favourite tournaments," says Potapova, who finished the 2024 tennis year ranked 35th in the WTA world rankings. 

"I'm delighted that Anastasia is returning to Linz. She became a real crowd favourite two years ago and really thrilled the fans with her powerful play. I expect a lot from her because I believe that she has not yet fully realised her potential as a player. She has a lot planned for the coming year," predicts Sandra Reichel, Tournament Director of the Upper Austria Ladies Linz.