Finnish pickleball ace thankful for sport after competing for his country

By Mohamed Hamza in Southampton

Finland's Aleksi Autti was 'hooked immediately' when he first played pickleball but he never imagined he would be representing his country at the inaugural DUPR European Pickleball Championships.

The 30-year-old from Oulu studies sport and health science at the University of Jyväskylä while moonlighting as one of the top pickleball players in his country.

And what started as a seemingly simple decision to pick up a paddle two years ago has now blossomed into a lifelong love for all the sport has to offer.

“My friends found this sport because all the tennis courts were booked and it was hard to train there,” said Autti.

“They asked me to join with them and I was hooked immediately, it’s a great sport.

“I love the competition, especially now, there are a lot of great countries and lots of tough games.”

Pickleball is a fast-growing sport in Europe having first started in the US in the 1960s, it is a hybrid racket sport that is popular for its accessibility for all ages and abilities.

Pickleball gets its name from its American founders, with the family game created in 1965 and named after their pet dog Pickle.

The European Championships saw players compete in men’s, women’s and mixed doubles, across both the Open and Senior categories.

Individual medals were on offer in each of the disciplines, with the medal tallies also added up to decide the overall Champions of Europe.

Autti added: “It’s fantastic because it gives great information where we are in the sport right now and I love that. It’s an unreal feeling to represent Finland, a great honour and especially because this tournament’s been held for the first time and it’s really nice to be part of it.

“I've only been playing for two years so not so much. I enjoy playing with my partner Samu Kivirinta and we have a great atmosphere in our team so it’s really nice to spend time with them, I really enjoy it.

It’s a great feeling, great energy, everyone’s so happy and it’s a great community so it’s nice to be here.

“I used to play football and I stopped playing when I was 21 so I was kind of lost in my life so to speak. I like to compete so pickleball has changed that.

“Now I’m playing against the best players in Europe and that’s really nice.”

Find out more information about the European Pickleball Championships by visiting www.europeanpickleballfederation.org