Sandro Kopp follows Bayern Munich wherever he goes: “I’m subscribed to all the streaming services.”

Austrian Sandro Kopp is experiencing one of the most successful stretches of his tennis career.

The 24-year-old fought his way through the qualifying rounds at last week's Roma Garden Open, then powered past Denis Yevseyev of Kazakhstan, No. 3 seed Hady Habib of Lebanon and local favorite Federico Arnaboldi to reach his first-ever ATP Challenger semifinal—a major milestone for the world No. 382.

While he was forced to withdraw from the final-four match due to injury, it takes nothing away from his performance.

Arriving in Rome, the Tyrolean kept expectations low: “I didn’t even check who I might play. I’m just trying to make the most of it,” he said. “That’s obviously always the goal when you enter qualifying. It gives me a boost.”

Though it was his first time in Rome, the city quickly won him over.

“I’ve been to Italy maybe a hundred times, but never to Rome,” he says. “It’s beautiful here. The people are friendly. The food is good. And even on the first days of the tournament, there were already many spectators on-site. The atmosphere is great.”

And to that end, Kopp clearly thrives on the big stage.

“Of course, I play tennis for myself, but the spectators are part of the show,” he says. “I want to stand in the arena like a gladiator.”

Sports, sports, sports

Kopp’s introduction to tennis was rather unremarkable.

“My parents’ house is about 30 meters from a tennis court,” recalls the Kramsach native. “I followed in the footsteps of my sister, who is two years older.”

He picked up a racquet for the first time around age seven or eight, but a professional career wasn’t originally part of the plan. As a kid, Kopp tried a variety of sports before ultimately choosing tennis. To this day, he remains a sports fan at heart.

“I enjoy watching golf, skiing, and football,” he says. The passionate FC Bayern München supporter laughs: “I’m subscribed to all the streaming services.”

Fighter on Court

Kopp describes his playing style as aggressive and full of grit: “I have a strong serve and like to hit with kick. I try to get into rallies and fight for every point, even in long exchanges. The ideal point ends at the net.”

Still, he knows consistency is an area he needs to improve:

I have to bring my performance level day in and day out. That’s something I continue to work hard on.

While he once favored clay, his perspective has shifted.

“The surface doesn’t matter as much anymore,” he says. “At my base in Seefeld, we recently got new hard courts—that helped me a lot.”

What matters most now: playing outdoors. “I feel less comfortable indoors.”

Challenges of the Tour

Kopp notes that surface quality still varies widely below the ATP level. He’s also concerned with declining ball quality.

“The balls fluff up a lot. The quality isn’t great,” Kopp says. “You have to hit harder, which can lead to elbow and wrist issues. It’s becoming more physical. It’s kind of like: ‘Whoever hits harder, wins.’”

The travel grind is another tough part of tour life: “It’s often exhausting, and I’m not really a fan of traveling. A lot of days feel lost.”

The lack of structure adds to the challenge. Still, he enjoys discovering new places: “Maybe I’ll even have a day off here and take a trip into the city,” he says.

With his girlfriend accompanying him in Rome, this tournament felt particularly special: “That makes for a nice change for both of us.”