Austria's biggest women's tennis tournament will take place at the Design Center from 5 to 12 April 2026

WTA history made in Linz/Upper Austria (1991 - 2026)

The Upper Austria Ladies Linz thus continues its successful tradition as the second-oldest indoor tournament on the WTA Tour. From Martina Navratilova to Venus and Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, Ana Ivanovic and the current number one Aryna Sabalenka, a total of 19 world number ones have played at the Upper Austria Ladies Linz - a real success story! The comparison with the WTA Finals currently taking place in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) is also impressive: Six of the current top nine singles players have already been to Linz. Twelve of the current top 16 doubles players have also played in Upper Austria. Tennis pioneer Billie Jean King has already sent Sandra Reichel a special congratulations on the upcoming anniversary in the form of a video message: "Congratulations on your anniversary. Thank you for everything you've done for women's tennis and the WTA. All the best for the next 35 years!" said King, who was one of the founders of the WTA in 1973.

Statements

Governor Thomas Stelzer:

"The Upper Austria Ladies Linz has been a sporting flagship of our country for decades and stands for quality, consistency and enthusiasm. For its 35th anniversary, a new chapter is being opened with the premiere on clay - a sign of courage for further development and innovation. Upper Austria is proud to host the best female tennis players in the world and a world-class tournament year after year."

Councillor for Economic Affairs and Sport Markus Achleitner:

"The 35th edition of the Upper Austria Ladies Linz once again sends out a strong signal in favour of women's sport, equal opportunities and the promotion of young talent. Year after year, tournament director Sandra Reichel and her dedicated team impressively demonstrate how top sporting performance and social commitment come together to create a special overall experience. As part of the WTA Tour, the tournament is in the focus of the global tennis community: broadcasts in more than 150 countries and a reach of over 100 million followers on social media channels emphasise its international significance. On this stage, Upper Austria can present itself globally as an outstanding location for sport, tourism and business. Sportland Oberösterreich supports this special event with great conviction. Since its premiere in 1991, the Upper Austria Ladies Linz has stood for passion, professionalism and inspiration - and will hopefully continue to motivate many young people to play tennis with great enthusiasm in the future. Game, set and match - for women's sport and for Upper Austria!"

Mayor Dietmar Prammer:

"The Upper Austria Ladies Linz has been a figurehead of our city for decades and is a strong symbol of how sporting excellence, commitment and enthusiasm work together in Linz. This tournament brings the world elite of women's tennis to Linz and inspires thousands of fans year after year. I would like to congratulate everyone on the 35th anniversary and thank everyone who makes this event possible with so much passion."

Deputy Mayor Karin Leitner:

"The Upper Austria Ladies Linz stands for top performance, inspiration and equal opportunities in sport. For 35 years, the tournament has sent a strong signal for women's sport and inspires young and old alike. The premiere on sand is a bold step that shows how innovative and future-orientated our sports city of Linz is. I am particularly pleased that sporting history is being written here - in the centre of our city and with great impact for the entire sport of tennis in Austria."

Tournament director Sandra Reichel:

"The 35th anniversary of the Upper Austria Ladies Linz 2026 makes me proud and a little humble at the same time. Being able to accompany and develop a tournament over such a long period of time is a great honour for me and comes with many thanks to the many supporters. Staging the event on clay for the first time is a spectacular new production and promises to be an absolute highlight in the history of the tournament for spectators. Once again, we are living up to our reputation of constantly reinventing the tournament. At the same time, we are consistently pursuing our four-pillar strategy and will set further accents in the areas of strengthening women's sport, encouraging children to participate in sport, inclusion and sustainability."

Tournament ambassador Barbara Schett-Eagle:

"First of all, I would like to congratulate Peter Michael Reichel and Sandra Reichel on their 35th anniversary. Maintaining and even expanding a WTA tournament over such a long period of time is a real feat these days. For the anniversary edition, the early commitment of Ekaterina Alexandrova as the reigning defending champion and newly crowned top 10 player is already an extremely positive message to tennis fans. Of course, I very much hope that the Austrians can continue their run of success in front of their home crowd. The change of surface to clay is also great news for the spectators. We will certainly be treated to even more spectacular rallies and more intense matches."