World star Angelique Kerber returns to Upper Austria Ladies Linz as a mum

The dream that has come true for Sandra Reichel with the upgrading of the Upper Austria Ladies Linz to a WTA 500 event will be visible on the centre court at the Design Center from Sunday, 28 January. Of course, a player who has already made it to number one in the world in her career is a perfect match. Angelique Kerber, the 2013 Linz winner, will continue her comeback tour after her maternity leave at the Upper Austria Ladies Linz 2024!

Let's take a brief look back to 2013: what drama there was in the final! Angelique Kerber won the title with a 6:4, 7:6 victory over Ana Ivanovic from Serbia, who had previously triumphed twice in Linz (2008 and 2010). Kerber fended off a set point from Ivanovic in the second set, converted the fourth match point and celebrated her first tournament victory in 2013.

The German celebrated her greatest successes in 2016: Kerber triumphed at two Grand Slam tournaments (Australian Open, US Open), won the silver medal at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro and was at the top of the world rankings on 12 September. Kerber won her third Grand Slam tournament at Wimbledon in 2018. The 36-year-old has won a total of 14 WTA tournaments and 32 million dollars in prize money and has twice been named "Germany's Sportswoman of the Year".

A happy event then put her tennis career on hold. On 25 February 2023, Kerber became the mother of a daughter. And the surprise on the tennis scene was huge when the German announced her comeback. No sooner said than done: at the turn of the year, she celebrated her return at the United Cup in Australia - and immediately won the title with Team Germany.

Because old love never rusts, Kerber decided to compete at the Upper Austria Ladies Linz. And she spontaneously sent a message from Melbourne. "Winning the tournament in Linz a few years ago is a fond memory, and I'm all the more delighted to be returning to Upper Austria after my comeback in Australia. I'm still at the beginning of my comeback and am therefore happy to be able to take part at short notice thanks to a wild card in Linz. Thanks to the upgrade to a WTA 500 tournament, the Upper Austria Ladies Linz has an even better line-up than in previous years and offers me the chance to play more matches at a high level. In addition, there is the unique atmosphere, which I still remember very fondly and which I definitely want to experience again."

Tournament Director Sandra Reichel was delighted with this message: "Angelique Kerber is a great role model in every respect. She has been the defining personality in German women's tennis in recent years. The passion and meticulousness with which she has approached her comeback has really impressed me. I'm delighted that she's back here in Upper Austria for the first time since her tournament win in 2013 and I'm also a little proud that she's playing her first match in Europe for more than a year and a half at our Design Centre in Linz."

Three Linz winners as tough competition

Angelique Kerber is the third Linz winner to fight for victory at the Linz Tennis Classic, which is being held as a WTA 500 event for the first time. Camila Giorgi (winner in 2019) and Anastasia Potapova (winner in 2023) had previously entered the tournament. The competition for the reigning Wimbledon winner Marketa Vondrousova, who is seeded number one, is therefore tough. The world number seven from the Czech Republic is hoping for as much fan support as possible in her neighbouring country and would like to continue the tradition of Czech Linz winners (Jana Novotna, Petra Kvitova, Karolina Pliskova, Barbora Strycova). Tournament director Sandra Reichel also has one or two wild cards up for grabs.

Upper Austria's top politicians are also enthusiastic about this fantastic line-up. Markus Achleitner, Provincial Councillor for Economic Affairs and Sport, says: "Austria's most important women's sporting event is about to kick off a new tennis era. It is also the start of a great sporting year in Upper Austria with highlights such as the Judo Grand Prix in March and the European Table Tennis Championships inft in September. The upgrade to the 500 category puts the second-oldest indoor tennis tournament on the WTA Tour in the international spotlight more than ever before in its 33-year success story. When you realise that the WTA tournaments are broadcast in more than 150 countries around the world and their social media channels have more than 100 million followers, the appeal is enormous. Upper Austria can therefore present itself worldwide as an excellent location for sport, tourism and business. With the 'Fe&Male' congress, the '1,000 tennis rackets' event and theThe fans around the centre court will once again be treated to a wide range of events, from the young talent campaign to the Inclusion Nations Cup. In addition, many Upper Austrian athletes such as the European table tennis doubles champions will be visiting the centre court.Sofia Polcanova, the Black Wings, Paralympics Olympic medallistThe winners of the tournament were Walter Ablinger, Blau Weiß Linz and Steelvolleys Linz Steg. Sportland Oberösterreich also supports this top tournament because of its role model effect. Top events where stars can be experienced up close help to get young people interested in tennis. This benefits the clubs and the sport of tennis in Upper Austria."

The Mayor of Linz, Klaus Luger, says: "The 33rd edition of the Upper Austria Ladies Linz once again promises world-class tennis, especially as some of the absolute top stars of the scene will once again be playing in the provincial capital this year. Over the past few decades, this tennis classic has developed into a major sporting and social event which, with its high-calibre field of participants, puts our city in the focus of the interested sporting public every year. In addition, the Ladies Tennis Tournament in Linz is playing its way to the top of the world rankings for the first time this year by being upgraded to a WTA 500 tournament."

Deputy Mayor Karin Hörzing explains: "The great work of Tournament Director Sandra Reichel and her team is now receiving the recognition it deserves: the upgrading of the traditional tournament to the WTA 500 category! Austria's largest women's tennis tournament has been a fixture in Linz for decades and is one of the events that has made a significant contribution to Linz's sustainable positioning as a sports city on an international level."