As we announced on our social media channels, we are cooperating with the Viennese Squash Federation, the Wiener Squash Rackets Verband, WSRV. Their leader board asked us to play all courts in Vienna to show the squash-community in Vienna where to go. So we came up with the idea of the WSRV – Squash World Tour – Vienna Edition. As we want to provide value, we are going to rate all the clubs in five categories: booking, reachability, facilities, court, price.
The sixth WSRV – Squash World Tour – Vienna Edition match took place at Postsportverein Wien in the 17th district of Vienna. We both were curious about the venue because it’s close to our homes. Even though I played tennis at a club right around the corner of the squash hall in my junior years, I have never checked out the squash courts. For both of us it was unknown territory.
It’s all about the right coins
I arrived on time and found out that a particular coin was needed for the lockers in the dressing room: 10 Schillings (former Austrian currency until 2001). Then I checked out the court: There was a coin box with special coins for lighting. Unfortunately I did not have either of these coins on me. Luckily the groundkeeper showed up and sold us the lighting-coins – I did not ask him about the Schilling-lockers…
Hard life at Postsportverein
The dressing room was covered with red clay because mainly tennis players change here. While the tennis courts have heating, the squash courts do not. Joel went straight on court to get started. It took time to get warmed up there – for us and for the ball as well. First we thought the low bounce is caused by the low temperatures, but we quickly found out that the floor was the reason. I think that there is no substructure underneath the wooden panels. Not ideal for someone with knee issues like #teamyellow…
Anyways – our game began and because our 10 warmup points did not do the trick warming us up, we started a bit rusty. The low ball bounce and the slippery floor favored playing drop shots – and thats how I won the big points in game 1 and 2 to take a 2-0 lead (11-8, 12-10). #teamorange was desperate as every drop I played seemed to work out just the way I anticipated.
In game 3 #teamorange several times caught me on the wrong foot. And he seemed to have adapted his footwork as my drops where not as effective anymore. Joel won the game 11-8 – a flattering result for #teamyellow as I could not keep up in this one. After a short break I went back on court – focussed again. I played 4 huge points in a row finishing all of them with beautiful drop shots. “Even Aqeel Rehman couldn’t get to them”, Joel concluded. I was on fire, everything I tried worked out: 11-4!
One more to go
It’s my fifth win in the sixth Vienna Edition encounter and #teamyellow is now 5-1 in the lead! As there are only 5 squash courts (we know about) left to play in Vienna, #teamyellow needs only one more victory to win the Wiener Squash Rackets Verband – Squash World Tour – Vienna Edition!
Our rating
Booking: Booking is available via phone and mail. On weekdays during opening hours requests via a contact form are answered as well. The stuff wrote back fast and polite. But there is no information about the availability. 2,5 of 5 stars.
Reachability: We live close to the venue – for both of us it takes about 15 minutes to get there. Considering that you have to take the tram 43 (stop Rosensteingasse) to get there, we award 3 of 5 stars.
Facilities: The dressing room was covered with clay and a bit outdated. A restaurant is close (Saunastüberl) and the name of the Restaurant suggests that there is a sauna as well. 2,5 of 5 stars.
Court: One of the two court has a glass back wall, the second has 2/3 of a glass back wall. The lighting is good. The plastered walls are peeling. The floor is slippery and hard, we think that there is no substructure underneath the wooden panels. But the nick is small. One issue only #teamyellow had: the temperature was way too low! Our compromise ranking as our impressions varie: 3 of 5 stars.
Price: 16 Euro for one hour of squash is the best deal you can get in Vienna! 5 of 5 stars!
RESULT
3 stars for Postsportverein Wien!
Website: www.postsv-wien.at , Phone number for booking: +43 1 486 23 23 – 0