LINZ/STARNBERG, January 29, 2025
Anastasia Potapova, the 2023 Upper Austria Ladies Linz champion, proved too strong for Julia Grabher in their opening-round encounter. The 23-year-old Russian showcased her comfort on the Linz courts with an impressive 6-2, 6-2 victory over the Austrian wildcard in just 67 minutes at the Design Centre. For the World No. 33, it marked her eighth win in nine matches at this tournament.
Despite the full backing of the home crowd, Grabher struggled to counter Potapova’s flat, powerful game. “Losing my first two service games in both sets was tough—it’s like poison against an opponent of this caliber,” Grabher admitted. “I had chances to fight back in the first set, but she placed her shots well and served strongly, making it difficult for me to gain a foothold in the match.”
For Potapova, Linz feels almost like home: “I really love playing here. The court suits my game perfectly,” she said. “Julia is working her way back after a tough injury, and I’m sure it’s just a matter of time before she’s back at the top.” Potapova returns to action on Wednesday night, where she will face Slovakia’s Rebecca Sramkova in the last match of the day.
Eva Lys Falls Short in Epic Battle Against Martic
Germany’s Eva Lys, the surprise round-of-16 finisher at the Australian Open, nearly pulled off a stunning comeback but ultimately fell short in a gripping three-setter against Petra Martic. The 23-year-old from Hamburg fought back to claim a dramatic second set but was edged out by last year’s Linz finalist after two hours and 40 minutes in what has been the most thrilling match of the tournament so far.
Martic, showcasing her strong serving, sealed a hard-fought 6-4, 5-7, 6-3 victory. With this win, the Croatian became the fourth player – alongside Antonia Rudzic, Aliaksandra Sasnovich, and Sara Sorribes Tormo – to advance from qualifying into the second round.
Kraus and Sakkari Take Center Stage on Wednesday
Austrian hopes now rest on Sinja Kraus, who joins the main draw after two impressive wins in qualifying. The Vienna native takes on Anna Blinkova in a highly anticipated clash on Wednesday. A victory would mark a career milestone for Kraus, as she aims to reach the last 16 of a WTA 500 event for the first time.
Later in the evening, the spotlight will be on Greece’s Maria Sakkari. A semifinalist in Linz last year, Sakkari will open the “Night Session” (not before 6 PM local time) against Bulgaria’s Viktoriya Tomova.
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