MARIBOR/STARNBERG, March 24, 2026

The first Slovenian tournament of the 2026 World Tennis Tour (WTT) series took place last week at the courts of TK Branik Maribor, where the ITF World Tennis Tour W75 i-Vent Branik Open delivered a week of high-level tennis. Four Slovenian players competed in the main draw, with 17-year-old Alja Senica producing the standout home performance by reaching the second round. In the final, Russia’s Tatjana Prozorova defeated Belgium’s Hanne Vandewinkel in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3.

Tournament director Matej Susac highlighted the exceptional level of play, noting that global geopolitical circumstances and the cancellation of several events contributed to a particularly strong field. “This year we truly had the opportunity to watch top-class tennis. I can confidently say that our tournament was at the level of Grand Slam qualifying,” he said, also thanking the main sponsor i-Vent, the Municipality of Maribor, the Slovenian Tennis Association, chief umpire Mr. Pipan, and all contributors to the event’s organization.

With many players ranked between No. 100 and 200 in the WTA rankings, the Slovenian participants faced a tough challenge. Pia Lovric, Kristina Novak, and Ela Nala Milic were all eliminated in the first round. Senica, however, secured an impressive comeback victory over France’s Diane Martynov, winning 3–6, 7–5, 6–3.

“It was a demanding match that I managed to win after a tough three-set battle. I’m very happy that I stayed focused in the key moments. I’m satisfied with my game and approach, but there’s still room for improvement,” said Senica after her win. She was later defeated in the second round by France’s Jessica Ponchet, ranked world No. 162, with a score of 6-2, 6-2.