after he was introduced to pickleball about a year and a half ago.
“ We were already looking at entertainment and experience-based concepts. I knew pickleball could be a sport that could be plugged into a concept like this,” he says.“ I didn’ t realize the demand for pickleball until I was in Palm Springs and we heard about it everywhere we went. We decided to make it the centerpiece, and added other activities around it.”
Smash Park will open the first week of August for a month-long soft opening for invitation only and corporate events. The official grand opening is planned for early September.
Go to smashpark. com for more information.
THE
ULTIMATE KIDS PICKLEBALL
2018 Citi Open Adds Pickleball for Relish
By Jane Hoge
For the 50th summer and counting, Washington, D. C., will host the Citi Open tennis tournament. Been there, done that? Ho hum? Not so fast. This year’ s event will feature some new kids on the block.
The likes of tennis greats Caroline Wozniacki( 2018 Australian Open champion) and Andy Murray( three-time Grand Slam champion) will share the spotlight with the nation’ s best pickleball players. Eight pickleball pros have signed on for the USAPA’ s Pickleball Pro Exhibition and Clinic— Sarah Ansboury, Chad Edwards, Joey Farias, Simone Jardim, Lucy Kovalova, Ty McGuffin, Irina Tereschenko and Matt Wright.
Among others, Ansboury, Jardim and Wright should feel right at home. They traded their tennis rackets for pickleball paddles and their overhand serves for underhand action. The pros are leading a pickleball fever that’ s sweeping the country— and making this the fastest-growing racket sport in the U. S.
Not only is the USAPA set to sanction the event, but also Jack Thomas— the association’ s president— will play the role of emcee. Thomas will add color commentary to the pickleball action, which includes exhibition matches by the pros followed by skills clinics for 64 registered attendees. Others are encouraged to take in the exhibitions, observe the clinics, and stay for the tennis semi-finals – all on one ticket.
The Citi Open runs July 28 through August 5 at the Rock Creek Park Tennis Center. The Pickleball Pro Exhibition and Clinic is August 4 from 8 to 10:30 a. m. All ages and skill levels are welcome. Registration and ticket information is at www. citiopentennis. com. •
www. usapajuniors. org
MAY / JUNE 2018 | MAGAZINE 63