On September 5 and 6, 2026, Austria’s pickleball community gathered at the Europameisterhalle at ATSV Riedersbach for the 3rd Pickleball Ostermiething Open. Once again, the tournament was organized by the Pickleball Federation Austria in cooperation with the pickleball section of Sportunion Ostermiething. The event also provided the setting for the federation’s Annual General Meeting.
A Full Weekend of Pickleball
Alongside a 50+ Seniors competition on Saturday, the weekend featured Men’s Doubles, Women’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles. Men’s Singles and, for the first time at the Ostermiething Open, a Women’s Singles event rounded out the schedule.
The Women’s Singles draw marked a milestone: not only was it the category’s debut at the Ostermiething Open, but every participant in the draw was also playing her first competitive singles tournament.
Joining players from the host club, competitors from Union Pickleball Salzburg, Pickle Flames (Wiener Neustadt), and Rackathletes (Vienna) made the trip to Ostermiething. Together, they contributed to a strong turnout and plenty of exciting matches across the courts.
Photos may be used free of charge for non-commercial purposes with credit to © Racketista – The Racket Sports Magazine. Sharing on social media with tags @racketista and @playpickleballat is permitted and encouraged.
Results
Seniors 50+
- Liz Weare & Klaus Rothenwänder
- Maureen Tan & Doris Rothenwänder
- Lothar Winzer & Heide Forman
Women’s Singles
- Sabrina Juhn
- Jelena Ullmann
- Doris Rothenwänder
Men’s Singles
- Christoph Winzer
- Hanspeter Widl
- Robert Steinböck
Women’s Doubles
- Ashley Simpson & Katie Wolber
- Liz Weare & Maureen Tan
- Doris Rothenwänder & Sabrina Juhn
Men’s Doubles
- Jakob Schett & Christoph Winzer
- Peter Robic & Helmut Hübsch
- Alex Rieck & Udo Juhn
Mixed Doubles
- Ashley Simpson & Peter Robic
- Katie Wolber & Alex Rieck
- Sabrina Juhn & Udo Juhn
Congratulations to all the medalists, and a big thank you to everyone who competed over a packed weekend of pickleball.
First Livestream via RAQT
For the first time, matches from the Center Court of the Pickleball Ostermiething Open were livestreamed via the RAQT tournament platform. Sunday’s matches are also available on demand: Watch on RAQT TV.
PFA Media Officer Alex Rieck is committed to giving local and regional tournaments more visibility. While larger events such as the Austrian Open and the Austrian Championships have received extensive coverage in the past, this has not yet been the case for smaller PFA tournaments. The livestream gave players, families and fans the opportunity to follow matches they might otherwise have missed.
New Friendships Through National Competition
As one of the first member clubs of the Pickleball Federation Austria, Pickleball Ostermiething – now operating as its own section within Sportunion Ostermiething – has developed into an important meeting point for the pickleball community in Upper Austria. Regular Open Plays, an engaged membership base, and the annual Ostermiething Open bring together players from the region and from across Austria.
Heide Forman, Vice President of the Pickleball Federation Austria and head of Pickleball Ostermiething, explains:
“In Ostermiething, we’re already delighted with our well-attended Open Plays, which take place twice a week – but our players also enjoy testing themselves against players from all over Austria. That’s exactly what the annual Ostermiething Open offers. And we were very happy to welcome so many players from other clubs this year and to see new friendships being formed.”
A Unique Atmosphere
It may not be the biggest tournament on the Austrian pickleball calendar, but the Pickleball Ostermiething Open continues to show what makes this sport so special: competitive play and community go hand in hand.
Between matches, the club’s homemade cakes and treats kept spirits and energy levels high. Lunch from Restaurant Bergwerk was another highlight during a long Sunday of competition.
Strengthening Our Coaching Base
The event also provided the stage for some official recognition: Ashley Simpson and Sabrina Juhn both received their Übungsleiter coaching certificates.
Sabrina is an important part of Pickleball Ostermiething and is particularly active in developing the club’s junior players. Together with Liz Weare, who is already a certified instructor, the club continues to strengthen the foundation for qualified pickleball coaching outside Vienna.
We are grateful to everyone who invests significant time and energy in their education and then passes their knowledge on to the wider pickleball community.
Pickleball Federation Austria Annual General Meeting
On Saturday, September 5, 2026, the Pickleball Federation Austria held its Annual General Meeting at the Europameisterhalle Riedersbach following the Seniors competition.
The tournament provided the ideal setting for club representatives from across Austria to meet in person. Alongside a comprehensive review of what has been achieved so far, discussions focused on pickleball’s future direction in Austria and how to support the sport’s continued growth nationwide.
Several amendments to the federation’s statutes were also approved, including changes to define the role of regional federations more clearly within the organizational structure.
We would like to thank everyone who took part in the Annual General Meeting and contributed to the constructive discussions. This kind of cooperation between clubs provides an important foundation for the continued development of pickleball across Austria.
Thank You!
A big thank you to Sportunion Ostermiething for hosting the event, to Heide Forman and the club leadership for their continued support, and to all the volunteers who contributed food, homemade treats, and their time to help make the weekend a success.
And, of course, thank you to every player who competed with full commitment and helped make the 3rd Pickleball Ostermiething Open another special weekend for Austrian pickleball.
