Janko with racket

Ex-teambomber: The ball is no longer allowed in the net!

Marc Janko in the ÖFB jersey

(Bild: dapd)

First the ball had to find its way into the net from every position, now it's not allowed to go there anymore! A change that former striker Marc Janko has long since mastered perfectly. In Süßenbrunn, the 70-time team striker celebrates his premiere in the title hunt at the 5th Austrian Championships of the Austrian Padel Union.

The Austrian Championships of the Austrian Padel Union will take place in the Padeldome from Friday to Sunday, with 112 pairs competing for victory in three categories on the outskirts of Vienna. For the fifth edition of the most prestigious tournament of the year, more players than ever before have registered for the mixed (Friday), women's and men's (Saturday and Sunday) competitions, with an attractive prize money of 1,500 euros.

Janko has been playing padel for years, here at Christoph Krenn's side.

(Bild: Zwefo)

Krenn/Alten want to start a new series
This trend sport, which originated in South America, has been booming in Austria since 2020 at the latest and has not slowed down since then. A few years earlier, the long-standing number 1 pairing of Krenn/Alten discovered the racket sport for themselves. It therefore came as no surprise that the titles in the first three editions (2020, 2021, 2022) of the Austrian Padel Union (APU) Austrian Championships went exclusively to the pair. In 2023, the "old champions" were unable to compete due to an international tournament.

This is padel

• The court: Measures 20 x 10 m and is surrounded on all sides by three to four meter high walls, which can be included.
• The surface: Usually made of artificial turf sprinkled with fine quartz sand.
• The racket: To reduce weight and air resistance, holes are permitted in the hitting surfaces.
• The ball: Similar to tennis, but has less internal pressure.
• The counting method: Ident to tennis, at deuce there is an immediate "golden point".

Krenn (right) and Alten have the most experience.

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

They are now aiming for the title again in their "comeback", not least because the finalists have a place in the national team squad for the European Championships in Italy. "The competition is bigger than ever, at least four teams have a chance of winning," says Krenn.

No luck of the draw for Janko
Marc Janko (APU-57th) is aiming for a successful debut. The 70-time national soccer player (28 goals), who has been playing on the APU tour for years, is also competing in the Austrian championships for the first time - in addition to his feel for the ball, his height of 196 centimetres also helps him. Partner Christian Salek brings a lot of experience with him. However, there could be a duel with Krenn/Alten as early as the second round of the 64-man field.

Janko is a force at the net.

(Bild: e-motion/Bildagentur Zolles KG/Axel Guelcher)

In the women's singles, Barbara Prenner is aiming for her third championship title in this category. She also won the doubles title in 2023 with Anna Schmid, who is ranked number one. Their biggest rivals are former Racketlon World Champion Christine Seehofer-Krenn (8th) and Nina Geretschläger (6th).

Record field speaks for the rapid growth of padel sport
"We are proud of how the sport, the association and this event have developed in recent years. The figures are confirmation of the successful path we want to continue on. We are looking forward to the biggest championships in the association's history to date and to exciting, injury-free competitions," says APU President Eva Handl.