Schöpf triumphs in the racketlon: The brutal network roller decides!

Schöpf triumphs in the racketlon: The brutal network roller decides!

Tennis- und Squash-Center Reichenau, Österreich - On June 2, 2024, an exciting final of the Sport Austria Finale powered by Austrian lotteries took place in the Tennis and Squash Center Reichenau. There Emanuel Schöpf and Michael Dickert competed against each other in the racketlon. After four competition days, the final ended in a dramatic draw of 71:71 points, whereby the individual disciplines went out as follows: Dickert won in table tennis with 22:20, Schöpf secured the victory in badminton with 21: 7, Dickert prevailed in Squash with 21:18 and finally Schöpf decided the decisive "rubber arm" match on the tennis court.

Emanuel Schöpf needed an impressive network scooter, which he described as the 'most brutal' he has ever played. This was a special moment because Schöpf managed to beat Dickert, which he could never defeat before in this crucial phase and thus win his fourth single title. "It was incredible," said Schöpf after his victory, who celebrated his first title since 2018-2020. Both finalists emphasized that the exciting finale was an excellent advertising for racketlon sports.

a victory for Schöpf and Olsacher

It was particularly noteworthy that Schöpf's partner, Irina Olsacher, also celebrated success. She won the title in the women's singles and thus her second title in a row. Olsacher admitted that she had put pressure on this title, but was overjoyed to win her victory. For the couple, this success, in which they both could win the individual titles, was of great importance.

Schöpf, who discovered the racketlon game as part of a U16 tournament, has a strong connection to this sport. He sees himself in particular as an outsider in future encounters with Dickert, since this is considered in top shape and without weaknesses. Nevertheless, Schöpf remains optimistic, he underlined his strength in the disciplines of badminton, tennis and table tennis while he sees squash as his weakest discipline.

racketlon as part of Austrian sport

The Racketlon Federation Austria, which celebrated its 20th anniversary last year, has experienced an upswing in recent years and remains an integral part of Sport Austria Finals. The development of the sport of racketlon in Austria is also supported by scientific work, which document the growing popularity and the high level of education of the players. According to an empirical study, players have a higher level of education compared to the Austrian average, regardless of whether they are active in an association or not.

The RacKetlon Association, founded in 2004, now has 34 member associations in all federal states. With an offer that combines the sports table tennis, badminton, squash and tennis, RacKetlon attracts more and more interested people and is enjoying growing popularity. Almost all racketlon players do at least one of the four sports in a hobby, and the fact that none of the four disciplines have lost members speaks for the success of the racketlon.

Overall, not only the recent successes of Schöpf and Olsacher, but also the general trend in the racketlon show that this sport continues to flourish and its followers are easily expanded. As Schöpf said in conclusion, Racketlon is not only a sport, but also part of his life.