Das ist Gänsehaut, da spielt man sein bestes Tennis
, described Neil Oberleitner. At the Erste Bank Open in Vienna, Austrian doubles pairing Lucas Miedler and Neil Oberleitner have advanced to the final, setting up a championship clash against American opponents Ryan Seggerman and Learner Tien. The match is scheduled to begin Sunday at 11:30 a.m. local venue time in the Wiener Stadthalle.
Vienna Final Reached After Tight Tiebreak Victory
Miedler and Oberleitner secured their spot in the title match on Saturday with a 7:6(0), 7:6(9) victory over the Argentine-French duo Guido Andreozzi and Manuel Guinard. The encounter took place at the Marx Halle before moving to the main venue for the final. The Austrian pair had to battle through a demanding schedule, having played less than 24 hours after defeating Wimbledon champions and world number ones Harri Heliövaara and Henry Patten 6:7(5), 7:6(2), 10:5.
The semifinal victory required immense resilience. They overcame a 0:3 deficit with two mini-breaks, as well as deficits at 3:5, 4:6, and 6:7, saved three set points, and converted their third match ball after 1:34 hours of play.
Chasing More Success Following Shanghai Triumph
The home finalists enter Sunday’s match carrying considerable momentum. Two weeks prior, Miedler and Oberleitner claimed their first ATP-1000 title in Shanghai. They followed that up by reaching the final at an ATP-250 event in Almaty, where Seggerman—then partnering with Yuki Bhambri—defeated the Austrian duo. Seggerman was also an opponent in the Shanghai final alongside the Indian player. Both players are proteges of former doubles ace Alexander Peya. Miedler holds an ATP doubles ranking of 19, while Oberleitner is ranked 22nd. Seggerman holds a doubles ranking of 50 and Tien is ranked 592.
Ich glaube, es ist eine große Stärke von uns, dass wir in heiklen Situationen ruhig bleiben
, Oberleitner said regarding their mental composure during tight finishes, adding that they focus on the next point and leave past points behind while benefiting from his partner’s experience.
Wir haben daran geglaubt, dass es gemeinsam funktionieren kann. Dass es jetzt so einschlägt, ist natürlich unglaublich. Wir haben einen super Lauf, wissen aber auch, dass es nicht immer so weitergehen wird. Entscheidend ist, dass wir jede Situation annehmen und Punkt für Punkt weiterspielen
, Miedler stated. For Miedler, a Tulln native, a victory would mark his 15th career title and his third in Vienna, having previously won the tournament twice alongside Alexander Erler (in 2022 and 2024) and reaching the final in 2023 with Francisco Cabral, where they fell to Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool. Oberleitner, representing Vienna, is competing in his first Erste Bank Open final, aiming for his third ATP tournament victory overall. Miedler also has four total final appearances at the event. Both players represented the Kurier Austria Davis Cup Team against Belgium in September. Due to ranking points dropping from Paris last year, Oberleitner sits at number 21 in the live rankings ahead of Miedler, though a tournament win would place both in the top 20.
Live Broadcast and Upcoming Schedule
Sunday’s championship match is broadcast live via Servus TV. Following the conclusion of the Vienna tournament, both players are scheduled to travel to Paris for the next stop on their ATP calendar, where their opening opponents will be Alexander Zverev and Marcelo Melo. Elsewhere at the Vienna tournament, the wheelchair competition was won by British player Alfie Hewett, who previously defeated Austrian competitors Maximilian Taucher and Nico Langmann.
Final Preparations
Und eines habe ich Neil schon gesagt: Wenn er glaubt, dass 1000 Leute in der Marx Halle laut sind, soll er sich im Finale auf 10.000 Leute in der Stadthalle gefasst machen
, Miedler noted regarding the transition to the main arena.
Worth a look
