World Champion Magnus Eliasson Wins First Title 2003
2003-01-07
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Marcel Weigl represents Austria in the Council of the International Racketlon Federation. Read his report from Swedish Open below.
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Actually it was Wimbledon champion Fred Perry, who was the first Racketlon pioneer and did not even know it. In 1930 he won Wimbledon in Tennis and was Table Tennis World Champion at the same time. Two titles who can nowadays never be won by the same person again.

73 years later the IRF Racketlon World Tour was kicked off in Stockholm. A total of 84 participants were counted at the Swedish Open, the kick off tournament of the first official IRF Racketlon World Tour. Among them international players from Austria, Finland, Bulgaria and England. The exciting matches in four classes were followed by more than 100 spectators each day. In the Amateur Class 43 players tried their luck, while in Class 1 only 14 players started. The senior competition was entered by 4 players this time and must be promoted better in the future together with a junior event.

In the Open Class with 23 players the new year started in the same way as the old one ended. The World Champion 2002 was not to be beaten at the Swedish Open in Stockholm from 3.-5th January. In the absence of the top players from Finland including Mikko Kärkkäinen who never lost to Magnus Eliasson, the Swede easily qualified for the final, after beating Stefan Hörnell, Mika Hasmats and his regular training partner Stefan Adamsson. On the lower half of the Open Class draw Mats Källberg reaches the final after victories over Håkan Granberg, Rickard Persson and Henrik Håkansson. Nevertheless the final was no real challenge for Magnus Eliasson, who won the very first title of the first IRF World Racketlon Tour ever. "I have reached a level that even if I play bad I have reached a level which is still good enough to win. It's the way of thinking point for point which makes me so strong." Again it was the all-round players who had the victories on their sides. The specialists like Ola Carleke (Squash) or Mathias Fagerström (Badminton) were knocked out in the quarterfinals.

The newcomer John O`Donnel, was also out already in round two. The Brit living in Canada performed very well in table tennis, squash and badminton, but was not used to the way of counting. "I came to Sweden to win, but I lost it in my head." Encouraged by Peter Landberg's and Lennart Eklundh's top organisation in Stockholm, the ex-squash professional immediately joined the IRF as Canadian representative and promised to try to put together a Canadian Team for the World Championships in 2003.

The British Open is the second event on IRF World Racketlon Tour 2003 with 8 tournaments in 6 countries (see link) and will be held from the 12.-13th April in London. The participation of international players will be encouraged.

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