PHOTOS BY CLAY CARROLL
Eden Lica ( left ) and Andre Daescu , bronze medalists from the 2019 Margaritaville National Championships at Indian Wells Tennis Garden , bring home the gold at the 2021 USA Pickleball Indoor National Championships .
Officiating and Head Referee Mark Peifer , the refs did an incredible job , providing a firstclass experience for those both on and off the court . The time they took each day to talk to players and spectators , when off the courts , went above and beyond what ’ s expected at any tournament and was much appreciated . The work of the livestream team of Dave Fleming and Michelle McMahon was some of the best we ’ ve seen . Their professionalism and commentary were enjoyed by all .
Day 1 : Men ’ s and Women ’ s Senior divisions provided some great competition across the board . With five teams in the Men ’ s Doubles 80 + division , golden ticket winners were Bud McCree and Ernie Hughes going 4-0 — proving age is just a number .
In the Women ’ s 70 , 75 and 80 + divisions , victors were Bev Scherer and Barb Powers . This was a tough bracket , but the ladies also went 4-0 in bringing home the gold .
Day 2 : Senior Mixed Doubles competition was fierce . Setting the stage was the Mixed Doubles 4.5 65 + bracket . Although there were only four teams in this bracket , each match went three games , and the outcome was undetermined until the last match was completed . Gold medalists were Steve Boswell and Priscilla Chambers , punching their ticket to Nationals . Day 3 : Singles 19 + to 80 + had the courts packed with players competing for an opportunity to punch their tickets to Indian Wells . The nine teams in the Men ’ s 80 +
division had a battle to the finish . AJ Johnson was the winner , coming out of the opportunity bracket and winning it in four games .
Day 4 : 19 + through 55 + divisions along with Men ’ s and Women ’ s Doubles brackets made for the busiest day and one for the record books . Eden Lica and Andre Daescu , the bronze medalists from the 2019 Margaritaville USA Pickleball National Championships , were the victors for the Men ’ s Open Pro event . This was a very competitive bracket , and you ’ ll want to make sure you keep your eyes out for the 15-year-old phenom and bronze medalist Gabriel Tardio . He was a fan favorite and one you ’ ll continue to see on the medal stand as he has only just begun .
On the ladies ’ side , even though there were only four teams , the competition was strong . The matches were close , and the determination and will on the court was enjoyed by all . KaSandra Gehrke and her partner , Katie Gaines , took gold .
Day 5 : The Mixed Doubles Open bracket did not disappoint . There were several bracket leader changes , with Katie Gaines and Kaden Seward going into the gold medal match as the winners bracket victors after beating KaSandra Gehrke and Jarrod Smith — sending them to the opportunity bracket . KaSandra and Jarrod fought their way back to the gold medal match , forcing a game to 15 for all the marbles . The first three games were a nail-biting competition with scores in favor of Gehrke and Smith , 11-3 , 6-11 , 11-9 . In the final game , Gehrke and Smith outlasted Gaines and Seward for the prize money and their golden ticket to the 2021 USA Pickleball Nationals at Indian Wells , California , this December .
For a complete list of the winners , visit
PickleballTournaments . com to view the full USA Pickleball National Indoor Championships results .
Thank you to all the players , spectators , sponsors , vendors and pickleball lovers alike . We look forward to seeing you again at next year ’ s National Indoor Championships . •
Dave Fleming and Michelle McMahon provided excellent commentary for the matches on Championship Court .
JULY / AUGUST 2021 | MAGAZINE 45