The Sunshine State is the Pickleball Peak this week.
Nearly 3,000 pickleball players will head to Naples, Florida—“The Pickleball Capital of the World”—this week seeking the most prestigious title in the sport at the 2022 Minto US Open Pickleball Championships powered by Margaritaville.
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Known as the “Biggest Pickleball Party in the World", the tournament is staged at East Naples Community Park—the largest permanent pickleball facility in the world with 64 courts including the world-famous Zing Zang Championship Court.
The event will attract a record 25,000 spectators and a record 2,800-plus players from 49 states and 30 countries, ranging in age from 8 to 87. Players will play more than 5,000 matches for a US Open record prize purse of $100,000.
Pickleball players and fans who can’t make it to Naples for the week-long celebration, can watch the men’s and women’s pro doubles and mixed doubles finals live on CBS Sports Network on April 30th from 7-9 pm ET. The tournament will also be streamed on Pickleball Channel from April 23-29.
The Minto US Open is a whole, immersive pickleball experience. The energy, spirit of community, pure joy and fun are unlike any other pickleball event. And to prove it, Racquet Sports Industry Magazine, named it the 2021 Pickleball Tournament of the Year in its January 2022 edition.
“This year’s Minto US Open Pickleball Championships will continue to grow and elevate the sport,” says Terri Graham, the event’s founder. “Other events have adopted many of our most popular features, but no other tournament offers the complete experience like the US Open. As they soak up the atmosphere in the Vendor Village, Fan Zone, Landshark Beer Garden, the Zing Zang Championship Court and enjoy our tribute to athletes around the world during our one-of-a-kind International Flag ceremony, pickleball players will know why we promise they’ll have the time of their life.”
The Best Professionals in Pickleball Nearly 1000 total gold, silver and bronze medals are up for grabs this year across more than 150 age and skill groups. And last year’s winners are hungry for more.
Returning to the courts will be 2021 women pro standouts including Catherine Parenteau, Callie Smith, Simone Jardim, Lucy Kovalova, Jennifer Dawson, Cammy MacGregor. On the men’s side, the field includes Ben Johns, Collin Johns, Adam Stone, Dekel Bar, Dayne Gingrich, Tyson McGuffin, Riley Newman, and JW Johnson. Additionally, former professional athletes from other sports, who have since been bitten by the pickleball bug will compete, including NBA Hall of Famer Rick Barry, Tennis Hall of Famer Gigi Fernandez, and former Wimbledon champion JoAnne Russell.
The tournament introduced the US Open format—which means despite being a double-elimination tournament, once you lose, the best you can do is claim a bronze medal—so a US Open Champion is always undefeated. The US OPEN also introduced the Triple Crown—awarding a bonus for the pro and senior pro player who wins pro singles, pro doubles and pro mixed doubles.
Additionally, the innovative pro-split age doubles which pairs a pro (under age 50) and senior pro (over 50) has become a favorite among players and fans.
Photo credit: US Open Pickleball Championships