Hamburg's tennis fans can also look forward to an all-German duel in the round of 16 of the MSC Hamburg Ladies Open 2026. The 18-year-old Julia Stusek, who celebrated her first ever WTA main draw victory on Monday, will challenge local favourite Tamara Korpatsch. A total of four German players have made it through to the last 16 of the WTA 250 tournament.
Korpatsch, 31, was already trailing Victoria Kasintseva from Andorra 4:6, 1:3, but turned the match around, winning the second set 7:5 and shortly afterwards benefited from an injury retirement by her opponent, who was suffering from cramps. „I'm happy to be in the round of 16, but of course I would have preferred to win normally. I feel at home here, this is my club and the support of the fans was really great,“ Korpatsch thanked her home crowd and is now looking forward to the duel with newcomer Stusek, who triumphed against Nadia Podoroska from Argentina on Monday. The player from Rheinfelden is playing aggressively in Hamburg, moving well and therefore possesses enormous defensive qualities. Reaching this round of the 16 is already the greatest success of Stusek's still young professional career.
Also on Wednesday, another local favourite, Noma Noha Akugue, will battle to reach the last eight. The 2023 finalist won a hard-fought German duel against Valentina Steiner 6:3, 2:6, 6:2 and will now face last year's finalist Anna Bondar, who has won nine of her ten singles matches played in Hamburg. „Last year I lost to Anna here in the first round in a third-set tiebreak. Hopefully it will go better this time,“ the 22-year-old Noha Akugue looks confidently ahead to the duel with the Hungarian. She has every reason to. By reaching number 136 in the world rankings, the Reinbek native has already secured a new personal best.
In contrast, qualifiers Mona Barthel (2:6, 6:7 against Yulia Putintseva) and Jule Niemeier (5:7, 2:6 against Argentinian Maria Carle) were eliminated. Nastasja Schunk narrowly missed a sensation. The Mainz native put up a spirited fight against top-seeded Ukrainian Oleksandra Oliynykova, but ultimately lost by a whisker after more than two and a half hours with a score of 2:6, 6:3, and 5:7.
Kitzbühel winner Sinja Kraus continues to win
Sinja Kraus has carried her momentum from her tournament victory in Kitzbühel on Sunday to Hamburg, and also overcome a minor scare. In her match against Darija Semenistaja, she complained of circulatory problems after the second set, but ultimately won convincingly 3:6, 6:3, 6:2. „It was just a bit much the last few days. All the emotions after the win in Kitzbühel, which meant a lot to me. But now I'm feeling better. I need to get used to the conditions here, so the three sets today could help with that,“ concluded the 24-year-old, who will face Alina Charaeva on Wednesday. The Armenian turned her match against Sara Sorribes Tormo from Spain around after trailing 3:6, 3:5, saved four match points, and ultimately triumphed 3:6, 7:5, and 6:1.