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The Arizona Athletic Grounds in Mesa , Arizona , hosted the 2024 Biofreeze USA Pickleball National
Championships Nov . 9-17 with 41 outdoor pickleball courts , including a fully shaded stadium court , in the
300-acre complex . Nearly 2,400 players registered in the amateur divisions . With a purse of $ 225,000 , this year ’ s tournament was the richest to date .
Bobbi Oshiro and Will Howells won dual gold medals — and Oshiro didn ’ t drop a game throughout the entire tournament . She had a tough match in the Round of 16 with Nicole Eugenio , eventually coming out on top , 11-9 , 11-6 . She then defeated Shelby Bates in the quarterfinals 11-5 , 11-0 and followed that up with a semifinal win over Megan Fudge , who many considered the favorite to win the event .
Oshiro didn ’ t stop there . Playing mixed doubles with Howells for the fourth time this year , they took home gold with an 11-9 , 11-6 win over Amanda Hendry and William Sobek .
“ Having so many players register for our premier event is a huge testament to the growth of the sport ,” said Mike Nealy , CEO of USA Pickleball . “ Our USA Pickleball team was energized and ready to execute an incredible event , ensuring that our athletes have the best possible experience while they compete at the highest levels .”
Dubbed by The New York Times as “ the Super Bowl of Pickleball ,” another of our sport ’ s premier events took place Nov . 4-10 at Brookhaven Country Club in Dallas . The top pickleball athletes around the globe took part in the PPA Tour ’ s Lapiplasty Pickleball World Championships , with 55,000 spectators and 4,200 participants from 49 states ( plus the District of Columbia ) and 30 countries .
The world ’ s top-ranked players Anna Leigh Waters and Ben Johns added another gold to their record in mixed doubles , and Waters secured her 43rd singles title against Kate Fahey .
“ What we did at Worlds was something beyond anything that ’ s ever been done in pickleball before . The PPA is always one to really push the boundaries and take the next step ,” said Kristen Russell , who managed the multifaceted project from start to finish on behalf of the PPA Tour . Congrats to all !
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