Austrian tennis player Julia Grabher won her first-round match at the Generali Open Ladies Kitzbühel on July 13, defeating Romania’s Elena Ruxandra Bertea 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 in a hard-fought contest. The victory advanced Grabher to the quarterfinal round of the WTA 125 tournament.
Grabher, ranked 116th on the WTA tour, secured the win after two hours and 30 minutes of play on the clay courts of Kitzbühel, Austria. The match featured three sets and several momentum swings, with Grabher closing out the victory in the final set. Bertea, a Romanian qualifier, pushed Grabher hard in the second set before the Austrian player regrouped to claim the title.
The Generali Open Ladies Kitzbühel marks the return of international women’s tennis to the Alpine resort for the first time in more than three decades. The inaugural WTA 125 event runs from July 13 to 19, 2026, and features a 32-player singles draw. Austria has a strong presence in the tournament, with five home players competing, including Grabher as one of the top seeds at fourth-ranked in the draw.
Grabher’s first-round victory sets up a quarterfinal meeting with fellow Austrian Ekaterina Perelygina, who also advanced from the opening round. The all-Austrian quarterfinal clash represents a significant opportunity for both players to progress deeper into the tournament on home soil.
Sources
- WTA Tennis — Confirmed Grabher’s 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 first-round victory over Bertea and tournament details
- ESPN — Verified match results and tournament schedule information
- Tennis TourTalk — Reported on the historic return of women’s tennis to Kitzbühel and Austrian player participation
- Wikipedia — Provided tournament information and confirmed it is the first edition of the Generali Open Ladies Kitzbühel
