Browsing: Pickleball News

Kim Clijsters is renowned for securing consecutive US Open victories at the Arthur Ashe Stadium in Flushing Meadows in 2009 and 2010. Her conquests were made all the more impressive as she had just returned from having a daughter. She has recently returned to the scene of her greatest triumphs, but this time for another racket sport. She was at Court 16’s Downtown Brooklyn venue, where she conducted a series of pickleball clinics. Insightful Advice In her characteristic style, Clijsters provided insightful advice about players’ techniques with a gentle voice and a beaming smile. Throughout the evening, she effortlessly transitioned…

The new Pickles and Play club at 740 Merritt Capital Drive, Wake Forest, North Carolina, was, as usual, operating at full capacity early one morning last week, with all seven of its courts being used. Players ranged from 8 to 73. The overwhelming response came as no surprise to Lane Ethridge, even though it only took six weeks from opening for the 18,000-square-foot facility to reach near-capacity. “Shows How The Sport Is Growing” “People have been craving this for a long time,” Ethridge said. “The thing I’m more surprised about is the level of skill we have at our club.…

Jess Wilson, a 27-year-old structural engineer from Norwich, England, successfully rescued her local pickleball club from closure. Balancing her full-time job with a weekly playing time of approximately 20 hours per week, Wilson and five other volunteers managed to revive the club while also campaigning to increase its membership. “Was Going To Shut Down” “The club was going to shut down if we didn’t take it over,” reported Abi Curran at the Epping Forest Guardian. “We wanted to keep it going, so we put all our time and effort into it over the last nine months, myself and five other…

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater (UW-Whitewater) has joined the pickleball bandwagon and held a pickleball club tournament in the Williams Center Kachel Fieldhouse over the weekend. You may have heard of the university as it was the alma mater of Zane Navratil, one of the sport’s top players. An Engaging Environment Whitewater has been busy creating an engaging environment for its students to play pickleball in for a while now. Practices have attracted over 100 members, and the recent tournament had 88 participants, a slight dip from prior two-day events that saw well over 100 players participating. Ben Rasey, the club…

Gerry Turner, otherwise known these days as “The Golden Bachelor,” made a popular appearance at the 2023 Biofreeze USA Pickleball National Championships powered by Invited and the PPA Tour on Friday. “One Of The Perfect Activities” Turner, the 72-year-old widower from Hudson, Indiana, is the featured participant in ABC’s new reality series, a spinoff of The Bachelor, with 22 initial contestants vying to find a place among the final three ladies who will compete for his hand in marriage. Apart from his off-road adventures with all-terrain vehicles and classic cars, Turner has a keen interest in pickleball, a sport he…

This summer, the Carvana PPA Tour made the landmark decision to become the first pickleball organization to sanction events within the U.S. legal sports wagering market. This significant step allowed pickleball enthusiasts to engage in betting on the sport, meaning they focus in particular on pickleball’s most dominant player, Ben Johns, who is often likened to Novak Djokovic but in the world of pickleball. A Central Figure Johns, boasting over 80 titles and a remarkable winning streak in singles and mixed doubles, became a central figure in the newly introduced pickleball betting landscape. FanDuel entered the scene in August, providing…

The big guns were all out in force at the 2023 U.S. Pickleball National Championships over the last few days: familiar names like Anna Leigh Waters, Ben Johns, and Tyra Black. However, there were also a whole host of relatively unknown players taking part, winning, losing, but all with their own story to tell. Here, we take a look at two great success stories that may have flown a little under the radar. Grayson County, Texas Grayson County, Texas, was proud to hear it was the home of two silver medal winners at the USA Pickleball National Championships. Just A…

PKLYN has secured an 18K sq. ft. space at 80 4th St., Brooklyn, NY 11231, right in the heart of Gowanus, Brooklyn. They are currently renovating the space and anticipate opening in the early summer of 2024. The building is stunning, with 23-ft. high ceilings, exposed brick, and over 20 skylights. You can see the latest renders and other details they’ve unveiled about the venue over on their Instagram. State-Of-The-Art Destination The facility is designed to be an inclusive, state-of-the-art destination, fostering community and quality play for competitive and casual players alike. They’ll have five spacious indoor courts, plus a…

The Wind Crest Senior Living Community in Highland Ranch, 15 miles south of Denver, Colorado, marked the opening of four new pickleball courts by serving pickle-flavored food and beverages. The staff also dressed up in pickle costumes to celebrate the inauguration. The Realization Of A Longstanding Dream The opening of these courts marks the realization of a longstanding dream for some residents and staff for dedication courts, reflecting the growing popularity of pickleball as one of the fastest-growing sports in the U.S. Initial attempts to designate a location for the courts faced challenges, as a selected site near the buildings…

PickleRage, the swiftly expanding indoor pickleball club in the United States, has disclosed details about its inaugural club site in West Bloomfield, Michigan, as it begins a national campaign to capitalize on the booming recreation activity. Expected to open early next year in the Whole Foods-anchored Gateway Center at 7300 Orchard Lake Road north of 14 Mile Road, the 26,772-square-foot facility will offer players year-round access to nine indoor cutting-edge pickleball courts. “Superior Visibility” The company promises “superior visibility and lighting, perfectly controlled temperature and humidity, and state-of-the-art cushioned playing surfaces.” “We are pleased to have finalized our inaugural location…