VIENNA/STARNBERG, October 15, 2026

As speculation mounted on Wednesday that next week’s scheduled Six Kings Slam in Saudi Arabia would be postponed until late December, Erste Bank Open tournament director Herwig Straka wasted no time in contacting the management of Carlos Alcaraz. The approach quickly paid off, with the Spaniard agreeing to compete in Vienna without hesitation.

“Everything happened very quickly, and Carlos agreed to come to Vienna without much hesitation. I am delighted that we will be welcoming him to the Erste Bank Open this year. He is one of the most charismatic players and personalities on the ATP Tour and has a huge fan base around the world. Having players like Alexander Zverev, Jannik Sinner, who unfortunately had to end his season prematurely, and now Carlos Alcaraz coming to Vienna is by no means something we can take for granted. It is a great honour for our tournament,” Straka said.

The winner of 27 ATP titles, who has enjoyed another successful season with victories at the Australian Open in Melbourne, in Doha and most recently in Tokyo, is scheduled to arrive in Vienna on Saturday, October 24, to begin his preparations. His opening-round match at the Wiener Stadthalle is set for Tuesday, October 27.

Alcaraz last competed at the Erste Bank Open five years ago, making this year’s appearance a long-awaited return to Austria’s premier tennis event. Currently ranked No. 3 in the world, the seven-time Grand Slam champion is the second seed in Vienna, behind Germany’s Alexander Zverev.

With Zverev (ATP No. 2), Alcaraz (No. 3), Daniil Medvedev (No. 6), Flavio Cobolli (No. 7), Alex de Minaur (No. 9) and Frances Tiafoe (No. 10), the tournament boasts an impressive line-up featuring six Top 10 players.