Progress report: Filip Misolic leaves Vienna with positive moments to put towards season finish

Filip Misolic experienced a week of highs and lows at the Erste Bank Open in Vienna.

The 24-year-old Austrian celebrated his first-ever main-draw victory at his home ATP 500 tournament, defeating Argentina’s Camilo Ugo Carabelli, 7–5, 7–6 (6), in a hard-fought opening match. But his run ended in the second round against Australia’s Alex de Minaur, the world No. 7, leaving Misolic with mixed emotions—proud of his progress, but aware of how small the margins are at the top of the game.

Misolic masters Carabelli

Against Carabelli, Misolic made a dream start, racing to a 4–0 lead with two early breaks before the Argentine battled back to level the score. The Austrian held firm under pressure, saving break points at 4–4 and 5–5, and clinched the first set with his first opportunity at 6–5. The second set remained on serve throughout, leading to a dramatic tie-break filled with spectacular rallies. After two hours and 16 minutes of play, Misolic converted his second match point to seal a milestone victory—his first-ever appearance in the round of 16 at the Erste Bank Open.

“This win means a lot to me,” Misolic said afterwards. “It’s a beautiful feeling to experience this at home. I was really nervous at the beginning—when I led 4–0, I thought, this can’t be so easy. Then it got more complicated, but with the energy from the crowd, I managed to push through. I felt like I could play ten more sets. Overall, it was a solid performance.”

De Minaur downs Misolic

His second-round opponent, however, proved to be a much tougher challenge. Against de Minaur, early breaks in both sets set the tone for the match. The Australian broke Misolic’s serve in the very first game—a grueling ten-minute battle—and repeated the feat early in the second set to take full control. Misolic had three break points at 2–3 but was unable to convert, and de Minaur closed out the match efficiently.

“Even though I lost, there are many positive moments I’ll take from this match,” Misolic reflected. “Playing against a Top 10 player in front of the Vienna crowd is an honor. It’s tough when you get broken right away, it changes the rhythm. I had three break chances in one game, but at this level, it’s the small details that make the difference.”

Despite the defeat, Misolic’s performance in Vienna marked another important career step. The 50 ATP ranking points he earned will move him into the Top 90 for the first time—a significant milestone that could secure him a spot in the main draw of the 2026 Australian Open.

Up next: Davis Cup & Challenger Tour

Before representing Austria in the Davis Cup quarterfinals against Italy on November 19 in Bologna, Misolic plans to compete at the ATP Challenger Tour event in Bratislava and the ATP 250 tournament in Athens, aiming to finish the season on a high note. The Graz native captured two of his four career Challenger titles this season by lifting the trophies in Prague, Czech Republic and Poznan, Poland.