The Linz Open began in 1987 as a modest ITF $10,000 event in Wels before tennis organizer Peter-Michael Reichel moved it to Linz proper. Starting 1991 it ran as a WTA Tour event, initially at the Tier V level, promoted to Tier III in 1993, Tier II since 1998, then redesignated WTA International in 2009 and WTA 250 in 2021. In 2024 the tournament was upgraded to WTA 500. It's the 35th edition and the second-oldest indoor event on the WTA Tour.
For its entire history Linz was an indoor hardcourt fixture — and that is exactly what changed. The 2026 edition marks the first time it is played on clay, after staging on indoor hardcourts from 1987 until 2025. The format reflects a calendar repositioning: rather than its old October slot or the 2023–25 February window, Linz now opens the spring. The event kickstarts the 2026 European clay-court swing as a WTA 500. Indoor clay is a genuine rarity on tour, which makes the venue's character distinct from any peer — a climate-controlled red-dirt warm-up for Madrid and Roland-Garros.
The trophy list reads like a who's who of No. 1s. Lindsay Davenport, Justine Henin-Hardenne, Amelie Mauresmo, Maria Sharapova and Ana Ivanovic have all lifted it — Ivanovic the only two-time champion (2008, 2010). Coco Gauff broke through here in 2019 as a 15-year-old lucky loser for her first WTA title. More recently Coco Gauff, Aryna Sabalenka and Jelena Ostapenko have added their names.
This year's switch to clay reframes everything below. Mirra Andreeva took the title, recovering from a 6-1 opening-set loss to Anastasia Potapova to win 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 — the first champion crowned on Linz's new indoor dirt.