2023-04-29 02:05:52
There are still 22 days until the Vienna Padel Open 2023. During a press conference on Friday there were updates and information on the way to the WPT tournament in the Steffl Arena in Vienna. Everyone involved is already looking forward to it, from May 20th to 28th the best padel players in the world will come to Austria’s capital.
The preparations turn three weeks before the start on the home straight. “This is a year-round project for us, and we started preparing for this year right following the end of the first edition last year. The feedback following the premiere was extremely positive, but there are still many lessons learned. We want to get even bigger and better this year,” said tournament director Dominik Beier, Managing Director at organizer e|motion. “All the top players will come to us once more.”
Tournament ambassador Marc Janko can’t wait to keep an eye on the best players in the world. “I have been playing padel for many years, even when I was active (as footballer; note), I casually picked up the bat. It was love at first sight. I’m playing solidly now, but I’m a long way from Austria’s best. The sport is for the whole family, young and old. You get into it quickly and celebrate success. The international elite play at an unbelievably high level, you have to see that. I can only recommend everyone to come to the Steffl Arena and experience it.”
From the ice rink to the padel arena
In the next few days the Steffl Arena will be very busy. On Thursday evening, Austria’s national ice hockey team played an international match, now the ice surface is being thawed and the center court and a side court for the Vienna Padel Open are being built in the main hall. There are already five courts in Hall 3, which can currently be booked via the PADELZONE and which will also be used during the Vienna Padel Open.
In a little over three weeks, Austria’s participants also want to play on the Center Court. There is a wild card for the main competition for women and men. This is awarded in the form of the “CUPRA Road to Vienna Padel Open”, a comprehensive tournament series with 700 participants. The Masters final tournament for the wildcards will take place in the Steffl Arena on Friday and Saturday. Rainhard Boisits and his partner Kristopher Sotiriu are among the top favourites. “We have intensified the training to be perfectly prepared. It would be the highlight of my career to be able to compete once morest the international superstars in front of friends and family in Vienna,” said Boisits.
Anna Schmid has already experienced this, last year she competed with her partner Barbara Prenner in the pre-qualification. “It was an incredible experience, I still can’t believe it to this day. The big goal now is to win the wild card for the main competition. Playing once morest the international top stars that you usually watch on the live stream is a big dream.”
Lots going on at the celebrity tournament
After the press conference, tournament ambassador Janko lent a hand himself. At the celebrity tournament, the ex-soccer player played once morest his former teammates Andreas Ivanschitz, Sebastian Prödl and Alexander Grünwald. Ex-team goalie Michael Konsel also showed his padel skills, beach volleyball player Clemens Doppler, boxer Marcos Nader, cabaret artist Klaus Eckel and ex-handball player Conny Wilczynski were also there with enthusiasm.
“The padel passion grabbed me some time ago. It’s a brilliant sport, it goes back and forth, but you still get into it quickly. What was raised here is really cool – hopefully I can also be a spectator at the Vienna Padel Open this year,” said former team kicker Prödl. The victory at the celebrity tournament ultimately went to football coach Oliver Lederer and Patrick Mazan (Radio Energy).
Tournament director Beier summed up with satisfaction: “You can see that Padel has grown enormously and is now a household name for many people. The celebrities did well and showed talent, maybe one or the other will start a padel career. There is still a lot to do for our team, the next three weeks will certainly be intense. But we look forward to it.”
More voices:
Michael Konsel (ex-ÖFB team goalkeeper): “To be honest, I ended my one-year break from sports today, my back is giving me problems. It was my first padel experience and as a passionate tennis player I have to say: I will definitely play padel more often in the future. It was fun from the first shot.”
Clemens Doppler (beach volleyball player): “I’ve been enjoying my padel racket for a number of years, preferably on the sports island. Unfortunately, I don’t get to play that often, but when I do, it’s always great fun.”
Franz Kalla (Manager Vienna Capitals): “We are proud and look forward to hosting this fantastic tournament once more. Padel is a sport of the future and will certainly become a great success story. We’ve been there with the Steffl Arena from the start.”
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