The top stars of the WTA 250 tournament get into the action on Monday at the Rothenbaum. But top tennis will already be on offer from Sunday. Because six tickets for the main draw of the MSC Hamburg Ladies Open (13 to 20 July 2025) are at stake in the qualifiers. A rocky road. But a path on which tennis fairytales can come true. Eva Lys, for example, made it from the qualifiers at the Australian Open at the beginning of the year to the round of 16.
It was a supposed miracle that captivated the fans. Her path should be inspiration enough in the battle for half a dozen Hamburg main draw tickets. Especially as the local heroine Lys is competing here in Hamburg in precisely this main field and is one of the title contenders.
But six German players are already starting in the qualifying round: Anna Petkovic (20), Sonja Zhenikhova (17), Valentina Steiner (18), Tessa Brockmann (19), Caroline Werner (29) and Mina Hodzic (23).
One person will be watching the German sextet with particular interest: Women's national coach Torben Beltz. He said at the opening press conference on Friday: "It's a strong signal that we're giving several German players the chance to show themselves on this big stage at the MSC Hamburg Ladies Open."
Anna Petkovic has slipped into qualifying via a wildcard - and now faces what is supposed to be the highest hurdle. Her opponent is the number 1 seed in the qualifying list, Carlota Martínez Cirez from Spain. Valentina Steiner has also been given a wildcard and has high hopes of beating Renata Jamrichova from Slovakia (number 11 in the qualifying seedings).
And how do Tessa Brockmann and Sonja Zhenikhova use their wildcards? Both are outsiders in their matches. It will be very difficult for Brockmann against Irina Bara, the Romanian is seeded fourth. Zhenikhova will be up against Eva Vedder from the Netherlands, who is seeded fifth.
Caroline Werner is ranked eighth in the qualifying seedings and is the favourite against Gergana Topalova from Bulgaria. It will also be a challenge for Mina Hodzic in her showdown with Kazakhstan's Zhibek Kulambayeva, the number 10 seed in the qualifying draw.
But that's precisely the appeal of qualifying: surpassing yourself and making the most of the supposedly minimal opportunity.
Please enquire with Eva Lys.
The MSC Hamburg Ladies Open 2025 kicks off at 10am at the Rothenbaum! The official main draw presented by MSC will take place at 1 pm on the Rothenbaum course.