ASV Pressbaum Defeats Wolfurt: Badminton League Win

On Saturday, December 20th, 2025, after a long journey the evening before, ASV Pressbaum-Badminton played the 5th game of the first half of the 1st Badminton Bundesliga against the team of the current league leaders UBSC Wolfurt. The Pressbaumers traveled to Vorarlberg with a minimum of 6 players and did not use Alzbeta Basova and Jan Janostik. In contrast, the Wolfurt team competed with their best line-up for the first time this season. Since the Wolfurters had still won all the games so far, the Wolfurters were the favorites and the Pressbaumers expected a very difficult game. But with a very united and strong team performance, a convincing 5:3 victory was achieved, so that the Pressbaumers were able to move up to 2nd place in the table at the halfway point of the season.

Due to Wolfurt’s strong line-up, team leader Adi Pratama changed the composition of the men’s doubles compared to the last game. He sent Pawel Smilowski and Muhammad Izzuddin into the first men’s doubles, while he himself played the second men’s doubles with Armin Sarosi. Pawel and Muhammad met Wolfurt’s strongest pairing, Andraz Krapez and Miha Ivanic. But the two Pressbaumers started very strongly and clearly won the first set 11:6. But the Wolfurters were able to improve and were in the lead several times in the next sets. But Pawel and Muhammad kept their nerve and won the game 13:11, 13:11 in sets 2 and 3. In the second men’s doubles, Adi and Armin faced Kilian Meusburger and Ilija Nicolussi from Wolfur. They started a bit shaky in their first doubles game together this season, but were still able to win the first set 11:9. Then Wolfurt also managed to equalize with 11:9 in the second set. But now Adi and Armin played better and better and so they had no trouble winning sets 3 and 4 clearly with 11:2, 11:5 and thus ensuring the perfect start. 2:0 for Pressbaum. Next up was the women’s doubles, in which Carina Meinke and Serena Au Yeong competed together for the first time and met the two national players Anna Hagspiel and Lena Rumpold. The two women from Pressbaum started quite strongly and fended off several set points in the first set, but then had to give it away at 11:13. The Wolfurt women then used their advantage and were able to win the next two sets with 11:6, 11:7 and thus reduce the score to 2:1.

For the subsequent 1st men’s singles, Muhammad Izzuddin met Wolfurt’s number 1, Andraz Krapez, who played for Pressbaum last year. The two legionnaires played an intense game with the better end for Wolfurt. Muhammad won the first set 11:7, but then had to accept the equalizer with 3:11. Afterwards, Muhammad was able to win the 3rd set again with 11:9, but had to accept the equalizer again in set 4 with 3:11. In the decisive 5th set, the Wolfurt player had better nerves in the end and won the set and the game 11:8. Wolfurt thus equalized the score to 2:2. Things should look much better in the 2nd men’s singles. Adi Pratama took the field against Miha Ivanic and showed a convincing performance. Adi was surprisingly able to clearly defeat the much younger Slovenian in Wolfurt’s service in three sets with 11:3, 11:9, 11:5 and thus put Pressbaum back in the lead with 3:2. Next the women’s singles and the 3rd men’s singles were held. Carina Meinke played against youth national player Fiona Scrinzi and Armin Sarosi played against Ilija Nicolussi. After an exciting game, Carina unfortunately had to lose the first set in extra time with 12:14. In the second set she acted a little uncertainly (4:11) before winning the third set 11:8 and shortening it again. But in the fourth set Carina had to admit defeat to Wolfurt with 6:11 and Wolfurt was able to equalize the score again to 3:3. At the same time, Armin showed a concentrated game and was able to win the important first set in extra time with 15:13. This gave him more confidence and after an 11:9 in set 2, the third set was a clear affair for Pressbaumer at 11:3. Pressbaum took the lead again with 4:3 and was already within reach of the win before the mixed doubles.

Pawel Smilowski and Serena Au Yeong faced Kilian Meusburger and Anna Hagspiel, who put up great resistance in a strong game. It was already close in the first set, so Pawel and Serena only narrowly had the upper hand with 11:9. But in the second set the game turned and the Pressbaumers had to accept the equalizer with 6:11. But then they harmonized much better and took the lead again in set 3 (11:6). In the fourth set they already had victory on their hands, but the Wolfurters were able to equalize at the last second with 15:14. The decision was made in the fifth sentence. And here Pawel and Serena won with 11:7. So the Pressbaumers were able to celebrate three points and make the long journey home.

“The team showed excellent morale away against a strong Wolfurt team and deserved to win. This means we are in second place in the table over the winter and have taken a big step towards the championship play-off.”

The first game in the new year will be played on January 10, 2026 in the Sacre Coeur sports hall in Pressbaum. The Pressbaumers will welcome the team from Ohlsdorf on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. and are hoping for numerous spectators to support them.