The collaboration with Günter Bresnik, the discoverer and former long-term supervisor of Dominic Thiem, is bearing fruit. Julia Grabher made it into the top 100 in the world for the first time in her tennis career. The first 125 Challenger title (6:4, 6:2 in the Bari final against Nuria Brancaccio/Ita) saw the 26-year-old from Vorarlberg climb from 120th to 97th place. The heads of the Upper Austria Ladies, Peter-Michael Reichel and daughter Sandra Reichel, who wields the scepter as tournament director, are also happy about this.
If Grabher continues in this key, she will be able to do without a wild card at the 32nd traditional Linz event, which will now take place from February 5th to 12th, 2023. The second oldest tournament in women’s tennis (after Filderstadt/Stuttgart) returns to its roots in terms of dates. October or November is history.
“Due to many shifts in the calendar, a good opportunity has arisen. It’s no secret: At the beginning of the year, the players are really hot for tennis, fit – and not tired after a long, strenuous season,” explained Sandra Reichel. This increases the chances of winning even better-known players. The location is open: the TipsArena on the Gugl and the Design Center on the Europaplatz are up for debate.
Incidentally, Peter-Michael Reichel, who launched the Linz tournament in 1991, is one award richer. The 69-year-old from Wels received the Grand Decoration of Honor from the City of Linz for services to the economy. “He got the top stars of the tennis world. His extensive fields of activity range from classic to athletics and from tennis to football,” said Mayor Klaus Luger Reichel in his laudatory speech.
Source: Nachrichten
