Doubles legend Oliver Marach: "Every tennis player is enthusiastic about padel!"
Oliver Marach keeps fit in Panama, who knows what's to come. The 41-year-old from Graz is currently developing particular ambitions in padel.
by Jens Huiber
last edit: Jun 25, 2022, 08:19 pm
"I was never a kicker," said Oliver Marach on the phone on the way to the gym in Panama City, saying that he had always felt more comfortable with a racket in his hand: tennis, of course, because the Styrian is looking at a Grand Slam -Title in Australia and world number one back. But also squash, badminton, table tennis - Marach always quickly found his rhythm. The new great passion of the 41-year-old is padel. And he's not alone in that.
"The enthusiasm for Padel is gigantic, also in Panama," says Marach. More and more systems were and are still being built, the demand is enormous. He himself is also involved in several projects, one of which will be realized on an exotic island in the next two years, in the USA it is more difficult due to official requirements. Marach initially planned an outdoor facility with partners, but then indoors, it could be difficult. “We just lost eight weeks,” said Marach. Other tennis aces, including those who have retired, such as the Rochus brothers from Belgium or Jonas Björkman, would have shown the way as entrepreneurs. Why? "Every tennis player loves padel!"
#IMG2#
Marach always wants to get better at padel
Oliver Marach will of course stay tuned. Also active. The problems with his back, which ultimately prompted Marach to end his career (or just interrupt it?), only allowed small doses of tennis on hard courts, but things are different in the padel cage. Now Oliver Marach would not have gotten so far in his professional career if he left something to chance. No, when he starts padel, Marach gets professional support. Just a few days ago he played with Augustin Tapia's ex-coach, the Tapia who last won the title at the Vienna Padel Open alongside Sanyo Gutierrez. Marach gave his parents tickets for the day of the final and they were very enthusiastic.
"Padel is one of the coolest sports to watch," Marach enthuses. "It's a purely tactical game, the best professionals rarely make mistakes." He himself still has a lot to learn. “ You take the volley with you from tennis. But the topspin smash in contrast to the flat smash, the so-called "Bandeja", you have to learn that as well as the defensive. The training is incredibly intense, after 45 minutes you're done.”
Ambitions to play on the World Padel Tour like Roberta Vinci are not for Oliver Marach. However, his innate ambition drives him to always want to get better. He also likes to make the daily trip to the gym for this.