The MSC Hamburg Ladies Open now offers a week of total tennis. Six German players are already in the main draw, with four more hoping to make it into the strong field by successfully qualifying. Headline-makers of the tennis year so far will be playing in Hamburg. Like Tatjana Maria, who won the tournament in Queens completely unexpectedly. Or Eva Lys, who rose to stardom by reaching the round of 16 at the Australian Open. The same of course applies to Lois Boisson, the semi-finalist at the French Open. These three are players who have risen to their greatest successes from qualifying (Lys) or via wildcard (Maria, Boisson). And that brings us to Nastasja Schunk.
The player from Mainz (21) has received a wildcard for the main draw here in Hamburg. On Monday, she will play the Japanese player Moyuka Uchijima (seeded six). "I've never played her before. But I feel good and I'm really looking forward to the match. Also because it's taking place on such a great centre court," says Schunk.
This is because she has been allowed to play the big centre courts less than her potential deserves. The left-hander reached the Wimbledon junior final in 2021. However, there were repeated injury problems that stopped her in her tracks.
But now she is fit, healthy, motivated and focussed - and won an ITF clay court tournament in Villach at the end of May. So things are looking up. At the Rothenbaum too? "I'll give it my all," says Schunk.
Incidentally, the last German winner at the Rothenbaum was Steffi Graf, who triumphed in Hamburg for the sixth time in a row in 1992. The most recent finalists were the current tournament ambassador Andrea Petkovic in 2021 and Noma Noha Akugue in 2023.
Age: 23
Born in: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
World ranking position: 72
Greatest success: Quarter-finals Madrid Open 2025
Age: 21
Born in: Mainz, Germany
World ranking position: 281
Greatest success: Junior women's final Wimbledon 2021
French Open semi-finalist Lois Boisson travelled to Hamburg on Friday and was welcomed at the official players' hotel. The Grand Elysée Hamburg is located on Rothenbaumchaussee within walking distance of the tennis stadium and is considered one of the best hotel addresses in the city.
Centrally located and with excellent service, the hotel offers the perfect environment for focussed preparation for the tournament week - and at the same time a relaxed retreat in the middle of the city.
Ullrich Jelinek (organiser team) and Lois Boisson.
The official draw for the MSC Hamburg Ladies Open brought crisp duels and a real highlight right from the start. The draw presented by MSC was actively supported by Lois Boisson, Noma Noha Akugue and Nastasja Schunk.
Once again this year, tennis-loving kids, youth coaches and parents will have the opportunity to experience their idols live at the MSC Hamburg Ladies Open and support them with plenty of passion as part of the "Children for Champions" campaign.
With this initiative, ARRIBA not only promotes enthusiasm for the sport, but also creates great moments for the next generation of tennis players.
A successful start from a German perspective at the MSC Hamburg Ladies Open: On Sunday, the tradition-steeped facility at the Rothenbaum became a stage for up-and-coming German talent - and they made impressive use of their opportunity! With a strong presence on the centre court, two northerners came out on top: Anna Petkovic from the Hamburg Tennis Association and Tessa Brockmann from the Schleswig-Holstein Tennis Association impressed in their qualifying matches and are one step closer to the main draw of the MSC Hamburg Ladies Open. Also taking part: Valentina Steiner and Caroline Werner, who complete the strong German quartet. Do it again, good luck to you!
Top sport for everyone! Free ground tickets for the MSC Hamburg Ladies Open will be available in the online ticket shop from 10am on Monday. This means that the matches on the side courts M1 and M2 can be watched free of charge between Monday and Friday. Two tickets for adults and four tickets for children (under 18 years) can be purchased per order. We look forward to seeing you at the Rothenbaum!
Friday saw the official launch of the MSC Hamburg Ladies Open 2025 with a press conference, at which tournament director Sandra Reichel, Dr Jonas Leder (Director of the Hamburg Sports Office) and local heroes Eva Lys and Noma Noha Akugue presented the highlights of the tournament week. With a new name and main sponsor MSC, the traditional WTA tournament is sending out a strong signal in favour of women's sport. Top national and international players will be competing at the Rothenbaum until 20 July. In addition to world-class tennis, the tournament offers a varied supporting programme with social relevance. A sporting highlight on the final day: the exhibition match between Dominic Thiem and Tommy Haas.
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At the MSC Hamburg Ladies Open, a lot goes on in the background - thanks to a well-coordinated team. Here, one hand knows what the other is doing. There are people who are enthusiastic about the same things, who think along, lend a hand, have an open ear and lend a helping hand when it counts.
This week we would like to introduce you to various teams who are making a decisive contribution to the tournament being able to take place at all.
Today we start where it all begins: with the first smile that greets visitors and accredited persons.
The main task is to ensure the smooth handling of tickets and accreditations. During the tournament, the team looks after the box office, guest lists, admission systems and is the point of contact for last-minute requests - from lost tickets to spontaneous accreditation.
Spoilers welcome: Before the main field had even started, Bianca and Ann-Berit were already asked the question: "Do you actually know who will be playing in the final?", apparently hoping for an exclusive preview.
Souvenir with ID card: After the end of the tournament, some employees ask to receive accreditations as a very personal memento of the wonderful tournament days.
Ann-Berit: "We always have fun, even when it's stressful."
Bianca: "We are the first warm welcome to the tournament."
Both: "We always lend each other a helping hand when there's a fire."
The streaming service Tennis Channel will broadcast all matches live from the Rothenbaum via its platform (www.tennischannel.app). The centre court matches of the MSC Hamburg Ladies Open 2025 are also available on Sky Germany live on TV and stream (the matches on the side courts including doubles can also be streamed).
DF1 will show the singles final and the exhibition match between Tommy Haas and Dominic Thiem.
Would you like to find out more about the MSC Hamburg Ladies Open and expand your knowledge of the tournament's top stars and young hopefuls? Then pick up a free copy at the Info-Point! Click on the button to access the online version of our programme.
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