Two-set defeat

Julia Grabher out right at the start in Linz!

Julia Grabher

(Bild: GEPA/Walter Luger)

Julia Grabher has lost in the first round of the Upper Austria Ladies!

The 28-year-old from Vorarlberg, who is in the main event of the WTA 500 tournament with prize money of 1.064 million dollars thanks to a wild card, was beaten 2:6, 2:6 by the Russian number 6 seed Anastasia Potapova after just 66 minutes. Grabher thus also failed in round 1 on her fifth appearance in Linz, the only women's tennis tournament on the tour in Austria.

"Linz curse" since 2013
On Wednesday (not before 2 pm), qualifier Sinja Kraus will try her luck with Anna Blinkowa, also against a Russian. She will try to end the "Linz curse" of the Austrians, as no red-white-red player has reached the second round in Upper Austria's capital since 2013.

"It's poison against a player like that!"
"It was a bit bitter with my two service games in the first and second sets," Grabher recalled of breaks after taking the lead. "That's poison against a player like that. I still had chances to come back in the first set," she said, referring to her two break points, but Potapova had served very well twice.

Grabher, who is still a long way off her best ranking (WTA 54th) after a wrist injury in 393rd place, had to concede her first service game at 0:2. However, she missed a rebreak point at 2:3 and 3:4 and then had to give up her own serve at 2:6. The 2023 Linz winner also quickly took a 3:0 lead in the second set, setting the course for a clear success.

Grabher still lacks match practice
Compared to her performances in Auckland, when she put in an appealing performance in her defeat to Naomi Osaka in the round of 16, Potapova played better on Tuesday. "It was also harder today because the court here doesn't take the spin so well. The bounce is not high." Potapova was therefore able to play her hard groundstrokes from hip height.

She is clear about what she still lacks in terms of her former strength. "Above all, matches at this level," said the player from Vorarlberg, who can still use her "protected ranking" of 73 for four tournaments. Grabher will play at the WTA tournament in Cluj-Napoca next week. After that, she may compete in Indian Wells and Miami or Mexico. However, she is not unsettled by the dwindling opportunities to use this injured status. "I don't think I need to worry about that. The clay court season comes afterwards, then I'll play Challenger and improve my ranking as quickly as possible."

The wrist injury that forced her to undergo surgery in September 2023 forced Grabher, then number 54, to take a break for over six months. However, she no longer feels any after-effects of this, she assured ...