Mirra Andreeva goes into the Upper Austria Ladies Linz as top seed

Shortly before the first serve at the Design Centre, the field of participants at the WTA 500 Upper Austria Ladies Linz tournament has received another spectacular addition. World number ten Mirra Andreeva will start the women's tennis classic in Linz as the top seed. According to the WTA rules, the 18-year-old Andreeva is considered a „top 30 replacement“ following Emma Navarro's cancellation due to injury and does not have to claim a wild card. After Lilli Tagger, Sinja Kraus has also received a wildcard for the main draw, completing an Austrian quartet that will be competing in Linz.

Mirra Andreeva, whose older sister Erika is also a professional on the tour, is currently regarded as the biggest shooting star in women's tennis. In 2025, „Little Spicy Mirra“ (the nickname she gave herself) became the youngest ever Masters winner on the tour when she triumphed at the WTA 1000 tournament in Dubai. A few weeks later, she also won the so-called „fifth Grand Slam“ in Indian Wells, where she became the third youngest winner in tournament history. She reached the semi-finals of the French Open in 2024 and won the Olympic silver medal in women's doubles alongside Diana Shnaider in Paris.

„She's only 18 years young, but it feels like she's been playing for ages. She has a clever style of play, with lots of variations and targeted shots. She can apply pressure, but also take the pace out. She also moves extremely well for her size. For me, she's one of those players for whom it's only a matter of time before she wins a Grand Slam title. I am delighted to welcome her to Linz. She is certainly the favourite to win the tournament,“ says tournament ambassador and tennis expert Babsi Schett full of enthusiasm about shooting star Andreeva. 

„I'm delighted that we can present Mirra Andreeva, currently the most exciting newcomer in women's tennis, in Linz. She has outstanding potential and has an excellent coach in Conchita Martinez, who has already competed in the Upper Austrian capital and will accompany Andreeva to Linz,“ added tournament director Sandra Reichel.

„The home tournament is special for us Austrians. We're actually travelling all year round, but Austria is the best place to be, especially Linz. The field of players is very tight and very strong this year and I'm in for a tough match. My year has got off to a great start. I won the first round for the first time in Melbourne. Unfortunately, I had a minor injury after that, but I've been able to train well over the last few weeks and have prepared well for clay. Clay is my favourite surface,“ says Julia Grabher happily. 

Sinja Kraus & Anastasia Potapova in the main draw 

The Viennese Sinja Kraus fought her way into the main draw of the Upper Austria Ladies Linz last year by qualifying - this time she was spared this diversions thanks to a main draw wildcard. „Linz is my home tournament. I have many fond memories of last year in particular, but also of all previous editions and I'm really looking forward to playing in front of my home crowd again. I'm looking forward to seeing what the conditions will be like, but clay is basically my favourite surface. That's why I'm confident that I can show my best tennis and I'm very happy about the main draw wildcard,“ says Sinja Kraus.

Due to the cancellation of Marketa Vondrousova, who will be playing for the Czech Republic at the Billie Jean King Cup, a fourth Austrian, Anastasia Potapova, has moved up into the main draw. This means that for the first time since 2008 there are four Austrians in the main draw of the Upper Austria Ladies Linz. Lilli Tagger and Julia Grabher are scheduled to play their opening matches on Tuesday, 7 April. Depending on the draw, efforts are being made to ensure that as many Austrians as possible play their opening matches on this day. 

Qualifying wildcard for Sloane Stephens

Another former Grand Slam winner will be competing in the qualifiers in Linz. The American Sloane Stephens, who surprisingly won the US Open in 2017, wants to fight her way back to the top of the world rankings after a long injury break. In 2025, she was only able to play six matches due to a fatigue fracture in her right foot. Now the 33-year-old wants to get back on the road to success. For this mission, tournament director Sandra Reichel has given her a wildcard for the qualifiers, which start on Sunday at the Design Centre.

Britain's Emma Raducanu and Australia's Daria Kasatkina will not be able to compete in Linz as they have had to cancel their participation due to injury.

Two more main draw wildcards will be awarded before the start of qualifying and the main draw on Sunday. 

Outstanding importance for the city of Linz

„The Upper Austria Ladies shows how major sporting events can make Linz internationally visible. This top-class event creates important role models and contributes to more equal opportunities in sport,“ emphasises Mayor Dietmar Prammer.

„As a sports officer, I am particularly pleased that Linz is presenting itself as a tennis stronghold for the thirty-fifth time. Top-class sport attracts international attention and shows young people, especially girls, that equality in sport is a matter of course. The Upper Austria Ladies is therefore important for our city and our society in two respects,“ added Deputy Mayor Karin Leitner.

35th anniversary with numerous highlights

• Players Night, motto Alpine Night, presented by Raiffeisen Landesbank Oberösterreich on Monday, 6 April, in the Design Center VIP Club.
• Austrian Women's Day, including Lilli Tagger's first match on Tuesday, 7 April (4 p.m., live on ORF 1).
• The 4th edition of Advantage Ladies the FE&MALE Sports Conference with, among others, Olympic skeleton champion Janine Flock, tennis coach Judy Murray, ÖFB national player Sarah Zadrazil on Wednesday, 8 April, in the Design Center Congress Hall. Presentation of an IMAS study on women's sport in Austria at a press conference.
• Invitation to all Austrian women who have played singles in the last 35 years. Reception on Saturday, 11 April, at Centre Court.
• Anniversary exhibition in the Public Area.
• Swarovski winner's trophy shines at the Upper Austria Ladies Linz.