By Milly McEvoy in Southampton
Pawel Jankowiak has gone from getting 'destroyed' by tennis number one Jannik Sinner to playing at the inaugural DUPR European Pickleball Championships.
The 25-year-old from Poznan in Poland was a promising junior tennis player, playing the Sinner, the 2024 US and Australian Open champion, before embarking on a college tennis career in the US.
It was there that he discovered the fast-growing racket sport of pickleball and in just 11 months, he has made it to the European Championships in Southampton.
“I always wanted to become a pro tennis player,” Jankowiak said, “But at 15 and 16 I already knew that if I didn’t, I could just pursue another alternative which was college tennis and combine tennis with studying at a good university.
“After I finished up with college I knew that I would not become a professional tennis player and I picked up pickleball, it was perfect timing.
“I played once against Jannik Sinner at the ITF event in Qatar, but he was already very good back then and he won, he destroyed me!
“I remember at the same tournament, Holger Rune, he was 13 and I was 18. He asked me to play doubles with him and I said no because I didn’t know who he was.
“He was good but I just thought ‘I won’t play with this guy’ and now he is like top ten in the world and one of the best players and I could have played doubles with him. You never know who is asking to play with you!”
Jankowiak has returned from the US, where he studied at the University of Pepperdine and the University of Florida.
He is captaining his side at the first-ever European Championships in pickleball which will see players compete across men’s, women’s and mixed doubles with the medal tally added up to decide an overall European team champion.
The tournament, which is taking place in Southampton, will see teams from 24 countries across Europe.
Pickleball, is a hybrid of several racket sports which can be played by all ages and abilities and was first invented in the US in the 1960s.
Jankowiak added: “I started playing pickleball in January of this year, I was at University of Florida doing my masters and I saw lots of people playing it on the other courts as I was playing tennis.
“I tried it and just loved it instantly because it is like mini tennis so it is so much fun and my background helps a lot.
“I kept improving a lot but I didn’t think I would play European Championships and World Pickleball Championships in the same year, so pickleball is definitely my favourite sport now!
“It feels amazing to represent your country in anything, to wear your country’s name on your shirt and the emblem.
“When I finished playing tennis I never thought I would play any professional sport and represent my country so it feels super nice and is always a big honour to represent your country.
“I never got to represent Poland in a team event in tennis so that is why it feels even more special now to be a part of the team.”
Find out more information about the European Pickleball Championships by visiting www.europeanpickleballfederation.org
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