Austria launches first VR tennis league: enthusiasm high!

Austria launches first VR tennis league: enthusiasm high!

On May 22, 2025, the tennis world is in a state of excitement. The first official VR tennis league called VRAC (Virtual Reality Austrian Championship) starts in Austria on May 5th. This new league is brought to life through a cooperation between ÖTV, LAOLA1, Tennis Esports and MXR Sports. The live final will take place on June 25, 2025 at the LAOLA1 office in Vienna. The main prize for the best participants is a flight and hotel stay at the WTEC finals in Las Vegas, which will take place on September 10, 2025.

In this league, clubs have the opportunity to crown their first virtual club champion. The response to this novelty seems to be making positive waves, as the first impressions of the tennis VR game are promising. The interface is user-friendly and gives players the feeling of being at a professional tournament. The physics of the game are also realistic, which adds to the excitement, as reported Tennis Esports.

Sebastian Ofner in the quarterfinals

Parallel to the developments in the field of virtual tennis, Sebastian Ofner has reached the round of the ATP 250 tournament in Geneva. Ofner now faces an exciting challenge as he meets 24th in the ATP rankings, Karen Khachanov, on Thursday. Khachanov prevailed in the opening match thanks to a submission from Kei Nishikori and also showed his skills in his last meeting with Carlos Alcaraz in Rome, where he forced the player into a third set.

This could be a groundbreaking encounter for Ofner. He currently has four wins in a row and hasn't dropped a set, and he also reached the third round in Rome. This will be the first meeting between Ofner and Khachanov. Should Ofner win, either the American player Taylor Fritz or the Pole Hubert Hurkacz would await him in the semifinals.

Competitions for esports enthusiasts

In addition to the VRAC, 2025 also brings the World Tennis Esports Championships to Las Vegas, an event with a total prize pool of $100,000. A total of 16 players, 8 each from VR tournaments and national championships, compete against each other. The format includes exciting rounds and attracts participants from various countries, including Austria, Germany and the USA. The winner will receive $10,000 and will be drawn on September 9th, followed by competition on September 10th.

The VRAC and the World Tennis Esports Championships not only provide a platform for dinosaur tennis, but also highlight the growing interest and development of esports in tennis. For many tennis lovers, this meant they could provide exciting experiences both virtually and in real life.