After giving you the most important information about this new trend sport pickleball special pickleball expert Stefan Kornhaß . In our conversation with me, he reveals how he got into pickleball, why we tennis players are just as good at pickleball, and why he's convinced that pickleball will become more popular in Germany than padel. All this and a few other very interesting statements from Germany's "Mr. Pickleball" are included in the interview. Incidentally, Stefan recently took an outstanding third place in his age group at the European Pickleball Championships in Rome. So, he's got a wealth of expertise in pickleball power behind him!
Stefan, please introduce yourself brieflyI started coaching tennis at the age of 16. At 18, I did it full-time for over 25 years. First at a tennis school, then for 10 years as a district coach at the competitive level, and later at my own tennis school.
In 2009, I started distributing the Gammasports USA brand. Initially, only tennis products, and since 2018, pickleball as well. We now work with many tennis and pickleball coaches and clubs. At the beginning of this year, I opened my own pickleball club, "thePickle," where I also offer professional pickleball coaching ( www.pickleballclub.de ).
How and when did you get into pickleball?I got into pickleball in 2016 through selling the Gamma brand. In 2018, we started a pickleball group in Gifhorn, which already had almost 40 players. I immediately started playing in tournaments abroad.
What fascinated you about the sport?As a tennis player, I was able to implement everything very quickly. A small court with a high dynamic. Long rallies and short breaks make pickleball more interesting than tennis, especially for beginners. The special rules with the no-volley zone make pickleball a true game of strategy and patience.
What successes have you already celebrated as an active player?My most recent success is a 3rd place finish at the European Championships in Rome in singles and a 4th place finish in mixed doubles. Since pickleball can be played in different categories and skill levels, I've already had success in my first tournaments in lower divisions. I'm a member of the German national team for the men's 50+ age group.
Match point Stefan!
Play in court 3 at the Pickleball European Championships
Why do we tennis players learn pickleball so quickly?A tennis player's proper training allows them to perform any movement with a racket. But beware: Anyone who plays tennis on the pickleball court won't be able to beat good pickleball players. The hardest thing for a good tennis player is adapting to pickleball. It took me years.
What are the differences to tennis?The rules make a big difference. No serve or volley, don't run right up to the net because there's a minimum distance from the net for a volley, the typical volley with a step forward leads to a kitchen fault, and the slice volley flies too slow and high into the opponent's shot. Tennis players have to get used to all these differences. You wouldn't believe how desperate a very good tennis player can be when they only have to lift a slow ball over the net and then shove it in.
Can we already speak of a pickleball boom in Germany?Yes, we're definitely at the beginning of a boom. Many clubs are now taking pickleball seriously and are working on court construction and providing playing opportunities. 10,000 players could quickly become 100,000.
How do you think pickleball will position itself in Germany – especially in relation to tennis and padel?Pickleball is five years behind padel. Many who have now invested in padel are also looking into whether they can add pickleball. There are certainly clubs that initially wanted to build padel courts, but are now switching to pickleball based on a cost-benefit analysis.
Pickleball tournaments in Europe already have 200-400 players. I believe pickleball will become much bigger than padel.
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