Austria’s first Pickleball tournament, the 1. PFA Vienna Pickleball Open, took place on August 5th at the Sportcenter Donaucity in Vienna. With the support of Sportunion Wien and sponsors Garbanzo Imbiss, Talent Garden Vienna, BLVB-blub, and Zcebra – Wild Pickleball, the Sportunion Rackathletes Austria organized the first tournament in the relatively young sport of Pickleball in Austria. Pickleball was originally invented in the USA in 1965; during the times of the COVID-19 pandemic, the sport experienced a significant boom. Since then, Pickleball has been spreading worldwide. It was introduced in Austria in 2019, often played on badminton courts with a Pickleball net set at a height of 91cm. In 2022, the first two indoor Pickleball courts in Austria were established in Graz, followed by the first outdoor courts in Vienna and Hart bei Graz in 2023. In April 2023, the Pickleball Federation Austria was founded, with the Sportunion Rackathletes Austria being a founding member of the federation.
Indoors instead of outdoors
The plan for the 1. PFA Vienna Pickleball Open was to use the two outdoor Pickleball courts at the Sportcenter Donaucity. However, due to rain, the organizers had to move the event indoors. The badminton courts marked on the hardwood floor were supplemented with the non-volley zone lines – otherwise, the Pickleball court dimensions match those of a badminton court. The participants were quite pleased with the conditions: the bounce of the polymer ball on a hard surface allowed for an engaging gameplay. Pickleball rackets, referred to as “paddles,” are made of wood or composite materials such as carbon fiber.
The Draws
Pickleball is a highly inclusive sport suitable for people of all ages, including children and seniors. Some participants in the 1. PFA Vienna Pickleball Open were over 60 years old. “Today, I’m playing in my first tournament ever,” said mixed doubles participant Jo Dee Martinez. Four events took place at Austria’s inaugural Pickleball tournament: Women’s Doubles, Mixed Doubles, an Open Doubles category for all genders, and the so-called Shoot-Out Singles, designed for facilities with limited court availability or time constraints: a single set played to 11 points using a knockout system. Only the winners continue playing.
The Winners
The results of the 1. PFA Vienna Pickleball Open events are as follows: The Women’s Doubles were won by Hajnalka Szabo/Ramóna Ambrus-Rácz, who traveled from Hungary to compete. In the Open Doubles Category, the tournament directors Alexander Rieck and Peter Robic emerged victorious. The Mixed Doubles was claimed by the couple Jessi Dai/Yang Dai. The Singles event was convincingly won by Padel expert Thomas Knapp. A raffle with remarkable prizes concluded the event. The top prize, a paddle from the Spanish company Zcebra, was awarded to Pickleball newcomer Stefan Popescu. “I fell in love with Pickleball immediately. Now, I’m even more motivated to play often!”
Consistently Positive Feedback
“Seeing so many smiling faces makes me happy,” said tournament director Peter Robic, who also serves as Vice President of the Pickleball Federation Austria. “Thanks to the support of Sportunion Wien, we were able to set a benchmark for future Pickleball tournaments in Austria with the 1. PFA Vienna Pickleball Open. The feedback was consistently positive, and we aim to build on that. In September, we will host the first Austrian Pickleball Championships at the Racket Sport Center Graz – we hope for a strong participation there as well. Pickleball captured my interest from the start – and it’s the same for many others. My appeal: give it a try!”
Author: Peter Robic
