Lukas Neumayer has secured his place in the main draw of the 2026 Erste Bank Open in Vienna. The Austrian defeated fifth-seeded Frenchman Titouan Droguet 7:6, 6:3 in the second round of qualifying. For the Salzburg native, it marks his first appearance in the main draw of this ATP 500 event.
Neumayer edges a tight first set
The opening set was largely balanced, with neither player gaining a decisive advantage. Titouan Droguet put Neumayer under pressure with his serve and aggressive hitting, but the Austrian kept his composure at the critical moments.
The tiebreak proved decisive. There, Lukas Neumayer imposed himself primarily through his forehand, playing the big points with greater consistency to win it 7-3. That handed the first set 7:6 to the home favourite, who never allowed himself any prolonged dip in level despite the considerable pressure he faced.
Early break turns the match
Neumayer stepped up his intensity in the second set. He broke early to lead 2:0, having increasingly taken control of the rallies from the baseline. Droguet never rediscovered his rhythm after that. The Frenchman vented his frustration on his racket, while Neumayer calmly pressed home his advantage.
The Austrian remained solid on serve and kept the initiative throughout. Droguet created opportunities, but Neumayer saved the crucial break points. Across the entire match he held serve on 100 per cent of his service games. He was particularly efficient on second serve, winning 80 per cent of those points.
Neumayer holds his nerve on match points
As the match progressed, Neumayer's lead grew more pronounced. He moved smartly around the court, opened up rallies with deep groundstrokes, and repeatedly pinned Droguet down on his backhand. The Frenchman finished with 24 winners in total, but Neumayer's controlled baseline game denied him straightforward openings.
At 5:3 in the second set, Neumayer had the chance to close out the match. He did not convert his first match point, but stayed focused, lifted his level once more, and converted the second to seal the win. The second set went to the Austrian 6:3.
First main-draw appearance in Vienna
The victory carried special significance for Lukas Neumayer. He had been eliminated in the first round of qualifying in Vienna in both 2022 and 2025; this time he came through on a wildcard. The Davis Cup player, coached by Günter Bresnik and Gerald Kamitz, continued a run of strong form that includes two ATP Challenger titles in Barletta and Vicenza in 2026.
Titouan Droguet had previously beaten Austrian wildcard Joel Schwärzler in three sets, but after dropping the tiebreak he had no answer for Neumayer. For the Salzburg native, the win means a first-ever appearance in the main draw of his home tournament.
