Road to America: Where Austria's Tennis Talents Are Discovered

"It's the perfect stepping stone"

But what makes a scholarship spot so attractive for young tennis talents, and why don't they take the "Austrian way"? "It allows them to combine sports at the highest level with an academic education. While it is often difficult in Austria to reconcile competitive sports and university studies, the American college sports system is designed to combine both," explains Ben Zechmeister from Smarthlete.

He further mentions that the event would "close an extremely important gap" for Austrian tennis. Additionally, a scholarship could significantly reduce costs, fully cover them, or even allow one to earn some extra money.

However, experiences such as a new culture, a different language, and many impressions also shape one's time in America. "A tennis scholarship is the perfect stepping stone - whether you want to go on the ATP/WTA Tour afterward or pursue a professional career," he adds.

test — Jeder Teilnehmer absolvierte drei bis vier Spiele, zudem gab es ein Training mit den Coaches.
Foto: ©Smarthlete

Prerequisites for a scholarship include a general university entrance qualification and the necessary English language skills. However, athletic performance is also essential. For NCAA Division I universities, a UTR ranking of 11 to 12 for men and 9 to 10 for women is usually required.

However, according to Zechmeister, even weaker athletes have a chance, as there are over 1000 universities with such teams in various leagues across the USA.

United World Games Provide a Stage for Tennis Showcase

In total, around 60 promising young talents were represented in Klagenfurt in 2026. The event was embedded within the United World Games, an event where thousands of athletes compete in various sports for medals.

"Our Showcase is not just a pure scouting tournament, but through its integration into the United World Games, it becomes an unforgettable experience that will stay with the athletes for a long time," reports Zechmeister.

In addition to a training session with the visiting coaches, three to four matches were also on the program. For participant Emilia Zmölnig, the event left a lasting impression: "I remember leaving Klagenfurt and really wanting to play college tennis. It no longer 'just' sounded interesting. I really wanted to make it happen," she says.

The tennis player particularly emphasizes that she was shown that she did not have to choose between tennis and other things, but that there was a way to combine all of them.

From College to the Big Tennis Stage

Most young athletes probably aspire to a path similar to that of US Open finalist Ben Shelton (USA), among others. He also once played college tennis at the University of Florida – as did German Andreas Mies, who won two French Open doubles titles.

There is also a well-known example among women: Russian Diana Shnaider came to America in 2022 to play for North Carolina State University.

For the participants, however, the next step is first an acceptance from the coaches, before it will be seen how they develop and whether they make it to the ATP or WTA Tour.