KITZBÜHEL/STARNBERG, July 18, 2026
The Generali Open Ladies Kitzbühel will conclude with a dream final on Sunday as Austria’s Sinja Kraus and Julia Grabher face each other in the championship match of the WTA 125 event, ensuring that a home favourite will lift the trophy for the first time in 38 years.
The winner will become the first Austrian women’s champion in Kitzbühel since Petra Ritter triumphed on the clay courts in 1988, marking a historic moment as top-level women’s tennis returns to the Tyrolean resort.
“It’s something very special to play Sinja in the final here tomorrow,” said Grabher. “We know each other very well, we’re good friends, and I’m really looking forward to a great final.”
Kraus was the first to book her place in the title match after battling through a difficult semi-final against Marina Bassols Ribera of Spain. The 24-year-old Vienna native struggled to find the rhythm and confidence that had carried her through the tournament, but showed tremendous resilience to fight her way back into the contest.
In the deciding third set, Kraus rediscovered her aggressive, confident game to secure a3-6, 6-4, 6-1 victory.
“It means the world to me,” Kraus said afterwards. “Yesterday I played with so much confidence, but today nothing seemed to work at the beginning. I was really struggling with myself. That’s why I’m even happier that the crowd carried me through this match. Without their support, I wouldn’t have made it today.”
Grabher produced one of her strongest performances of the week to defeat top seed Veronika Erjavec. The Austrian broke serve in the opening game and dominated the first set 6-1 with aggressive, controlled tennis.
She carried that momentum into the second set, earning another early break before holding her nerve while serving for the match to complete a 6-1, 6-4 victory and set up the all-Austrian final.
“I’m incredibly happy that I was able to play such good tennis today,” Grabher said. “I faced a very strong opponent, and I’m so grateful for the support here. Right now, I’m simply enjoying playing tennis so much.”
The WTA 125 final will be played on Sunday at 11:30 a.m. local time on Centre Court, where one of Austria’s two friends will write a new chapter in Kitzbühel tennis history by becoming the tournament’s first home champion in nearly four decades.
