Scott Moore
and Glen
Peterson in
the finals of
Men’s Doubles
Senior Open. The
pair won silver.
This year’s tournament
had competitors flying in
from all over the globe. Notable
representatives included a strong pickleball
team out of Romania and players from Australia, Great
Britain, Spain, Thailand and several South American
countries. One particularly encouraging delegation came
from China. While the Chinese delegation didn’t compete,
their charge was to observe the sport and take home what
they learned to help expand pickleball’s presence there,
adding Indian Wells as a new stop on a modern-day Silk
Road.
One spectator said the Indian Wells Tennis Garden
facility operated like a “well-oiled machine,” and that
everything from the PA system to the concession stands and
entertainment was fantastic.
A sponsor village offered attendees the chance to sample
32
and purchase products
from all of pickleball’s major
manufacturers, and live music
played all day long with talent flown in
from neighboring states to fill the week-long set list.
Margaritaville was the title sponsor of the event. USAPA
has a five-year contract with a five-year option clause on
Indian Wells Tennis Garden for future tournaments and,
given the success the venue has seen so far, it’s fair to
speculate that the facility very well may be the permanent
home of the sport’s largest matches.
“It’s such a large venue it never feels crowded,” said
one spectator. “There were a lot of people, but you didn’t
have to wait in line for anything. Everything you needed
was accessible.”
Next year’s National Championships is set for Nov. 2-10
at Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Don’t miss it! •
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