Site MapPlayoff Drama, a Record-Breaking Venue and a Blimp: This Week in Pickleball News
The GoodYear Blimp made an Appearance at the PPA Finals, the MLP Held their Playoffs, and Much More
With the holidays coming up and the cold weather kicking in, the pickleball calendar is about to slow down a tad. But there was no shortage of news in the pickleball world this week.
Johns and Waters Sweep PPA Finals
The Professional Pickleball Association tour ended with this weekend’s finals in San Clemente, CA. Anna Leigh Waters took gold in the women’s singles bracket while Ben Johns took gold on the men’s side. The two teamed up for the mixed-doubles event, taking a second gold each. Johns made it three-for-three, taking the men’s-doubles title alongside his brother Collin, while Waters teamed up with singles runner-up Catherine Parenteau to complete her sweep of the women’s side.
Blimp Appearance Caps a Good Year for the Sport
The sweeps weren't the only notable part of the PPA tour finals. The event featured aerial coverage from the GoodYear Blimp, the first time the iconic aircraft has paid a visit to a pickleball match. The blimp has covered some of the largest sporting events in the world, and its appearance at a pickleball tournament marked a big milestone for the country’s fastest growing sport.
SoCal and Chicago take MLP Titles
Major League Pickleball also held its playoffs this week in San Clemente, with the two-day event kicking off Monday. In the Challenger Level, the SoCal squad swept St. Louis to take gold and cap an undefeated season. The Premier Level final was much closer, with Orlando battling Chicago to a tiebreaker that pitted all four of their players in one-on-ones. Chicago took the fifth game behind a late surge from Jessie Irvine and Lacy Schneemann to take the crown.
Macon, the New Pickleball Mecca?
Macon, GA is making its bid to become the pickleball capital of the U.S., opening the world’s biggest pickleball facility this week. Named Rhythm and Rally Sports and Events, the venue houses 32 courts across two stories and 150,000 square feet.
APP Announces First Team Competitions
For the first time, the Association of Pickleball Players will offer team competitions in 2024. Squads will compete in singles, doubles and mixed doubles, with the winning team taking home $100,000. The new format will appear five times next year.
Humana Cup Introduced for Seniors
AARP members rejoice. The APP announced a new seniors’ competition, dubbed the Humana Cup, that will debut in mid-January. Using a team format, the event will feature two divisions: one for 50-somethings and one for ages 60 and up. The winning teams will take home $100,000. The event will be stretched over seven weekends.
Award-Winning Tennis App Makes Pickleball Debut
SwingVision, an app that analyzes users’ tennis swings and offers coaching tips, expanded into pickleball this week. Users record their swing, and the app calculates statistics about their game. It can also serve as an automated line judge to help settle any controversial calls.
Arizona and Utah Ranked as Best States for Enthusiasts
Online publication the Pickleball Union ranked all 50 states by their interest in pickleball, based on Google search data, as well as number of tournaments and courts. Arizona took the top spot, followed by its northern neighbor Utah. The worst state for enthusiasts? That would be Louisiana.
USAP gets Official Coaching Partner
USA Pickleball announced that it’s collaborating with Pickleball Coaching International to issue USAP-approved coaching certificates.
That’s a wrap on this week’s pickleball news. Stay tuned for more next week!
