Tennis
Everything you need to know about Red Bull BassLine
Red Bull BassLine is a unique tie-break tennis tournament – a revolution the sport needs. Here’s everything you need to know about the tournament ahead of another edition in Vienna.
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Red Bull BassLine, the unique one-night tennis tournament, returns for another edition at the Vienna Stadthalle on October 23, 2026, ahead of the ATP Tour's Erste Bank Open tournament.
What's it all about, we hear you ask? Simple. Red Bull BassLine is a knockout tournament played over a best-of-three tie-break format. Some of the world's best players have already signed up to compete, including young Czech ace Jakub Menšík, with the rapid-fire tournament offering unique fan engagement and a throbbing musical backbeat that is a breath of fresh air for tennis.
Read on to get a better idea of what to expect from Red Bull BassLine.
01
The format
This is most definitely not a traditional two-week tournament; Red Bull BassLine is a rapid-fire, best-of-three tie-break format in which each match can last anywhere from 10 to 25 minutes. For this edition in Vienna, the first athlete to five points wins the tie-break.
Like in previous years, six players will take part. However, brand new for this edition is a public vote to decide who faces whom in the group stage. Once all six players have been confirmed, the two with the highest ATP rankings will be assigned to one of two groups. The fans can then vote on how the other four players are assigned to these groups.
When it comes to the matches, the tie-breaks see each player have two serves. However, the sequence changes one six points have been played, with the next player then having three serves.
Dominic Thiem came out of retirement for one day at Red Bull BassLine 2025
© Mirja Geh/Red Bull Content Pool
There is also a brand-new concept for this year's tournament courtesy of former US Open champion Dominic Thiem. The recently retired Austrian has come up with 'Domi's Double', which gives each player the chance to double the value of the next point. It can only be utilised once per match, must be announced prior to the point being played, and whoever wins that rally gets two points.
"The new rule makes it even more exciting because a match can still turn around even from a seemingly hopeless situation. Even if you're far behind, you still have the chance to come back and turn the match around," explains Thiem . "This makes Red Bull BassLine even more unpredictable – and that's what I think is really cool."
02
New challenge: umpires out
You can't shake up tennis tournaments if the umpire in the high chair is still there calling the shots, so Red Bull BassLine removes the umpire.
All the calls are made by the line assistant systems and the onus will be on the players to sort out any disputes between them, which certainly makes things very interesting! If not, the MC hosting the event will make sure everything gets cleared up.
Nick Kyrgios brought plenty of energy to Red Bull BassLine in Melbourne
© Brett Hemmings/Red Bull Content Pool
What's more, between points, the commentators will talk to the players who are mic'd up to find out how their feeling.
03
Music on court
"Quiet please..." No thanks. That time-honoured instruction from umpires to the crowd at tournaments has no place at Red Bull BassLine, where the on-court drama will be accompanied by a pumping soundtrack. And we're not just between points, but even while the players are going back and forth in thrilling rallies.
Throughout the three-hour tournament, DJ In-Style will ensure the energy in the crowd and on court remains high, delivering a party atmosphere inside the iconic Vienna Stadthalle.
Menšík is particularly excited about competing in a tournament that is unlike anything else on Tour: “Red Bull BassLine is a great opportunity for us players to experience tennis in a different way,” says the 21-year-old. “The format is exciting, fast-paced, and creates a special connection between players and fans that doesn’t usually exist on the tour.”
Jakub Menšík will make his Red Bull BassLine debut in Vienna
© Jan Kasl/Red Bull Content Pool
04
Players
There's always a push to get as many young up-and-coming players competing in Red Bull BassLine. The tournament is unashamedly aimed at a youthful audience and is once again set to feature some top prospects.
In addition to Menšík, Spain's Daniel Mérida will also compete in Vienna. The 22-year-old from Spain made his ATP Tour singles debut at the Masters 1000-level at the 2026 Indian Wells Open and made his Grand Slam main draw debut at the 2026 French Open.
Now ranked inside the world's top 50, he's looking forward to competing at Red Bull BassLine for the first time. “I’ve heard so many exciting things about Red Bull BassLine and can’t wait to be there and entertain the audience," he says. "The exciting and fast-paced format is especially appealing to fans, and I’m curious to see what it’s like as a player to experience a different kind of tennis tournament.”
The vibe at Red Bull BassLine is more relaxed than normal tennis tournos
© Matthias Heschl/Red Bull Content Pool
Of course, it's not solely about youth and there is a place at Red Bull BassLine for some of the veterans on tour. This year, that includes Grigor Dimitrov, who knows exactly what to expect from the tournament. The 35-year-old, who reached a career-high ranking of No. 3, competed in 2022 and made it all the way to the final. He eventually lost to Karen Khachanov, so is returning with a score to settle.
05
New technology
As part of the ambition to make tennis relevant to a new audience, Red Bull BassLine employs new on-court technology so that fans can engage with their heroes like never before.
If, for instance, you want to get a feel for the stress levels of a player at match point down, spectators will be able to find out from the results of a heart monitor they wear, the results of which will be shown on LED walls behind the baseline.
A teenage Carlos Alcaraz played at Red Bull BassLine in 2021
© Matthias Heschl/Red Bull Content Pool
06
Previous winners
Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz took the win in Vienna in the first edition in October 2021, aged just 18. He's since gone on to become one of the world's most dominant players, winning seven Grand Slam singles titles.
The second edition in Vienna saw Khachanov claim victory after defeating Dimitrov in the final, while in the spring of 2023, Andrey Rublev got the better of Norway’s Casper Ruud as Red Bull BassLine was held at the Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Stadium in Madrid, Spain.
In autumn of the same year, the event returned to Vienna and it was Germany's Alexander Zverev who stormed to victory. The now two-time major champion successfully defended his title in 2024, before a new name was etched onto the winners' trophy as Dutch ace Tallon Griekspoor was victorious in 2025.
At the start of 2026, the tournament took place at the iconic Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia. Part of the Australian Open Opening Week, the event attracted a stellar field that included Nick Kyrgios, Matteo Berrettini and Flavio Cobolli. However, it was Norwegian youngster Nicolai Budkov Kjær who triumphed in the final as he overcame home favourite Jordan Thompson.
You can watch a full replay of the tournament in the video below:
In the summer of 2026, Cincinnati native Peyton Stearns fought off competition from five other WTA Tour stars to win the first all-women's Red Bull BassLine event. The home-town hero delivered a dominant performance throughout the night before defeating Sofia Kenin 5-3 5-3 in the championship match to lift the trophy.
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