Nico Langmann sitting on tennis court beside a specialized sports wheelchair.
Paralympic Games in Paris 2024:
A conversation with tennis pro Nico Langmann
Nico Langmann is a professional tennis player, competing in the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games in wheelchair tennis and a member of Team Allianz. Langmann is an experienced Paralympian: he has already represented Austria at the Games in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. In this interview, he tells us about his path to professional sport, how he organizes his everyday training and what he has planned for Paris 2024.
Let's start at the beginning. How did you get into wheelchair tennis?
Langmann: I was born in 1997 and have been dependent on a wheelchair since 1999 due to a car accident. When I was young, disabled sport was not as visible to the public as it is today. Back then, I didn't have the goal of becoming a professional athlete, but simply wanted to play sports with my older brother. He played tennis in his spare time and I wanted to play with him. So I imitated him and started hitting the small yellow felt balls.
How did you end up dedicating your life to tennis?
Langmann: Basically, my career grew out of a hobby. I started playing tennis at the age of seven and it was a feeling of happiness that has lasted to this day. It was probably also an advantage for my professional career that I did a lot of physio work during my childhood and youth and was therefore very fit right from the beginning.
You then took part in the Paralympic Games in Rio 2016 when you were just 17. Why was this participation a key moment in your career?
Langmann: The games in Rio were an important milestone for me, even if they weren't crowned with success. It was there that I first understood - also through my defeat - what is expected of an athlete on such a big stage. It was the starting signal for me as a real tennis pro.
You are now a full-time athlete. Other professional athletes have to work alongside their training to earn extra money. What's it like for you?
Langmann: I'm in the fortunate position of being able to earn a living by playing ball all day long - and training hard, of course. I am a professional tennis player. The support from various sponsors also plays an important role here. Allianz, for example, has been supporting me since I was 17 years old.
Last year, you published a book about your career as an athlete. What motivated you to become an author and share your story?
Langmann: Being a disabled athlete also means having a certain kind of responsibility, being a role model and advocate for other people with disabilities. I wanted to fulfill this responsibility by shedding light on all aspects of my life with a wheelchair, as authentically and personally as possible. I also wrote the book to raise awareness and reduce the fear of contact.
Let's look ahead. How do you train in everyday life, and how are you preparing for Paris 2024?
Langmann: Preparing for Paris is no different to preparing for any other tournament in the season, of which I play around 30 a year. This means that I spend four hours a day on the tennis court, as well as training in the gym and on the elliptical bike. But emotionally, of course, the matches are still different to everything else, the palpitations are definitely louder than usual.
What specific factors play an important role in wheelchair tennis in particular, for example in terms of equipment?
Langmann: Naturally, it's not just about mastering one piece of sports equipment, but two: the racket and the sports wheelchair. This equipment is precisely adapted to the athlete so that it feels like an extension of the body. Wheelchairs in particular are now very lightweight, high-tech devices that give you the freedom and maneuverability you need on the tennis court.
What else is there to consider when traveling to the Paralympic Games as a Para athlete?
Langmann: What is definitely different from any other tournament is the media presence, the attention you suddenly receive. And I think that's also the beauty of these Paralympic Games, that people who are normally overlooked by society are suddenly visible and at the center of attention - all over the world. So it's not just about the sporting competition, but also about the fight for inclusion.
What are your goals for the Games and what happens afterwards?
Langmann: My goal is to get the best out of myself. That's all that's in my power, what I have control over. What comes out of it will be the result. The Paralympic Games LA28 are clearly the next goal. Four years go by very quickly in sport, and I'm already looking forward to it.
Further information
About Allianz
The Allianz Group is one of the world's leading insurers and asset managers with around 125 million* private and corporate customers in nearly 70 countries. Allianz customers benefit from a broad range of personal and corporate insurance services, ranging from property, life and health insurance to assistance services to credit insurance and global business insurance. Allianz is one of the world’s largest investors, managing around 741 billion euros** on behalf of its insurance customers. Furthermore, our asset managers PIMCO and Allianz Global Investors manage about 1.8 trillion euros** of third-party assets. Thanks to our systematic integration of ecological and social criteria in our business processes and investment decisions, we are among the leaders in the insurance industry in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. In 2023, over 157,000 employees achieved total business volume of 161.7 billion euros and an operating profit of 14.7 billion euros for the group.
* Including non-consolidated entities with Allianz customers.
** As of June 30, 2024.
** As of June 30, 2024.
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