Austria's tennis stars face tricky duels at the Erste Bank Open!

Austria's tennis stars face tricky duels at the Erste Bank Open!

The tension rises: the draw of the First Bank Open in Vienna brought really tricky tasks for the local tennis stars. Jurij Rodionov and Filip Misolic, who both enter the main competition with wildcards, have to assert themselves against top-class opponents in the first round.

Rodionov will face Australian Alex de Minaur, who is ranked No. 7 in the ATP rankings and seeded No. 3 in the tournament. Many consider him to be the favorite in this match, which doesn't make Rodionov's task any easier. Misolic, on the other hand, will face Camilo Ugo Carabelli from Argentina. What's interesting is that Misolic has already played against Carabelli twice this year and won once, which should certainly give him some confidence.

Austrian duels in sight

If both Rodionov and Misolic win their first round matches, we could see an exciting Austrian duel in the second round. The tournament is led by Jannik Sinner, who is ranked second in the world. His opponent in the first round is the German Daniel Altmaier. Another well-known player who will play in Vienna is Alexander Zverev, who is seeded number 2 and will play against a qualifier.

The draw took place not only in a sporting but also in a humorous setting. Moderated by the cabaret artists Michael Niavarani and Viktor Gernot, who entertained the audience with wit and charm. It is the first time that the tournament will be held in the Marx Hall, which is an exciting innovation. With over two match courts, a training court and the opportunity to play pickleball and padel, there is a wide range of options for spectators.

The main field and the qualification

The main field also includes prominent names such as Stefanos Tsitsipas, Daniil Medvedev, Andrei Rublev and Karen Khachanow. Even if the opening rounds look promising, there is also strong Austrian competition in the qualification. Joel Schwärzler has to compete against Hamad Medjedovic from Serbia, while Lukas Neumayer faces Aleksandar Kovacevic from the USA, with both fighting for a place in the main competition.

The courier reports a great atmosphere around the tournament. Peter Teuschl, who is responsible for the proceedings, has already indicated that the ATP considers an independent indoor tournament to be possible, which would be very promising for the future of tennis in Vienna. Thomas Muster, tournament ambassador, expressed his enthusiasm and emphasized the diversity of the new offer.

Overall, the Erste Bank Open 2025 promises not only high-class sport, but also a diverse supporting program and exciting matches. It remains to be seen how the Austrian talents will fare against the international competition.