Austria Makes Pickleball History: European Championship Gold in Men’s Doubles

Rome, September 20, 2025 – A historic success for Austria at the 2nd Pickleball European Championships in Rome: Led by the duo Prycen Haas/Stephen Preissler with support from the Austrian Champions 2025 Thomas Knapp and Stefan Urban, the team of the Pickleball Federation Austria won Austria’s very first medal in pickleball – and it was Gold in men’s doubles.

In a high-class final, Haas/Preissler defeated two of Europe’s best pickleball players, Mauro Garcia Sanchez and Pep Canyadell, with 11:2, 2:11, 11:7. The Austrians had been trailing 0:6 in the decisive set before turning the match around. Earlier, the PFA athletes had already eliminated last year’s finalists from England.

“It means everything to me to represent Austria here,” said Stephen Preissler, whose mother is from Styria and who now lives in Florida, where the sport with the frying-pan-sized paddle and the plastic ball has long become a national pastime. Preissler, 23, works in Florida and spends practically all of his free time on the court – like an estimated 50 million other Americans. Like most of his European opponents, he is an amateur – even his paddles were bought out of his own pocket.

His partner Prycen Haas, 32, son of an emigrant from Vienna and based in Hawaii, added: “It feels unreal. I am overjoyed and grateful to have been able to represent Austria here. You are working so hard to spread the sport in the country – and this was my way of saying thank you.” The former college tennis player now competes in international pickleball prize-money tournaments, mainly in Asia and Oceania, and also works for the Honolulu Pickleball Company – a manufacturer of pickleball paddles.

The Pickleball European Championships take place from September 19 to 21, 2025, at Foro Italico in Rome, Italy. 30 nations compete for titles in men’s and women’s singles, men’s and women’s doubles, as well as mixed doubles.

Watch the final on YouTube

Voices from the Federation

PFA President Peter Robic was thrilled:
“At the time of putting our team together, our Sports Director Ashley Simpson and I believed our best medal chances were in men’s doubles. Our draw was anything but easy. In the group stage we lost 9:11 to Poland, who eventually finished third. On the way to gold we defeated last year’s finalists England and last year’s winners Spain – and therefore deserved the title.”

Robic also looked ahead:
“I hope this success will give the young sport of pickleball in Austria another push. In August, the first dedicated pickleball facility opened in Wiener Neustadt. In Vienna, two indoor courts will open shortly. There are already courts in Graz and Salzburg – and more are in planning.”

Pickleball – a new trend sport conquers Europe

Pickleball is a dynamic mix of tennis, badminton, and table tennis. It is played with special paddles and a perforated plastic ball on a court the size of a badminton court. In the U.S., the sport is booming with millions of active players, while in Europe pickleball is just beginning its rapid growth.

The Pickleball Federation Austria (PFA) was founded in 2023 and has since been working to spread the sport in Austria. In addition to organizing three Austrian Championships and sending national teams to international competitions, the focus lies on growing the sport through clubs, coaches, and community projects.

Press Contact
Peter Robic
President, Pickleball Federation Austria
Tel: +43 699 11334885
Mail: peter@playpickleball.at
Web: www.playpickleball.at