Site MapTennis, MLP & Jake From State Farm: This Week in Pickleball News
From MLP's surprise announcement to PPA's next major, see what happened this week in pickleball
As the year winds down, the news cycle is winding down too. But rest assured, we have you covered with this week in your favorite sport.
Tennis Stars Commit to PPA Tour Event
First pickleball players took over tennis courts. Now tennis players are taking over the pickleball court. Genie Bouchard, Jack Sock, Sam Querrey and Donald Young, will compete at the PPA Tour’s Masters in Rancho Mirage, CA in January 2024. Bouchard, who ranked as highly as No. 5 in the world at the peak of her career, highlights the bunch, along with Sock, who won four grand-slam titles in doubles. Querrey and Young both had strong careers as well; the former is a Wimbledon semifinalist while the latter reached the finals of the French Open in doubles. The group will take on established pickleball pros at 2024’s first major PPA Tour stop.
USA Pickleball Hosts Diamond Amateur Championships
Following the organization's national championships in Dallas last month, USAP wrapped up the year in Holly Hill, FL this week with their second annual amateur championship tournament. The week-long event, which ended on Sunday, saw 1,000 players compete in 3,000 matches at varying skill levels. All 250-plus gold medal winners earned invitations to next year’s USAP National Championships.
MLP Announces Divisions for Next Year
With their 2023 seasons in the books, MLP announced which teams will compete in each of their two divisions next year. Last season’s runners-up the Orlando Squeeze will remain in the top division, the Premier Level, while the defending champs, the Chicago Slice, were relegated to the Challenger Level. Why? The divisions were decided through an auction among team owners, not based on last season’s results.
Survey Finds That Pickleball Boosts Mental Health
A study done by North Carolina-based eldercare research firm Carewell found that pickleball helps seniors with their mental health. The vast majority of the 1,000 respondents said that pickleball reduces their stress and that they find the game “uplifting.” Pickleball is a popular sport among seniors and these effects come in addition to its obvious physical-health benefits.
ESPN Announces Sponsors for Their 2024 Pickleball Slam
The Worldwide Leader in Sports announced that State Farm, Hard Rock, Brighthouse Financial and Franklin will be the sponsors of their second-ever televised pickleball event. This may not seem that exciting at first, but the fact that major companies are flocking to add their name to the event bodes well for the future of pickleball on TV. The event will see tennis greats Andre Agassi, Maria Sharapova, John McEnroe and Stefi Graf bring their skills to the pickleball court.
