JAIME ONCINS AND MARCELLO PAIVA JARDIM CAPTURE THE TITLE IN THE SENIOR PRO MEN ' S DOUBLES DIVISION.
PHOTO BY BRUCE YEUNG; IG: @ YEUNGPHOTOGRAPHY
INDIGO DAGNALL WITH HIS THREE GOLD MEDALS IN A SPECIAL CELEBRATION ON THE ZING ZANG CHAMPIONSHIP COURT AS HE IS THE FIRST JUNIOR TO ACHIEVE THE TRIPLE CROWN AT THE US OPEN PICKLEBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS.
PHOTO BY BRUCE YEUNG; IG: @ YEUNGPHOTOGRAPHY
Dave Weinbach. They took home bronze this year, adding to Weinbach’ s impressive stash.
“ Dave has probably the most US Open titles that I’ m aware of. Playing with him is so fantastic. He gets all the fans involved and he’ s great for the sport,” said Schiller.
Weinbach, never at a loss for words, chimed in:“ Playing on the Zing Zang Championship Court is so much fun. I love the energy and the electricity.”
One of the rising stars in senior men’ s play is former professional tennis player Jaime Oncins, who represented his home country of Brazil at the 1992 Summer Olympic Games in Barcelona.
Oncins’ best finish in a Grand Slam event was when he made it to the quarterfinals at the French Open in’ 92. He did better than that at the US Open in Naples, capturing the gold medal in senior men’ s doubles with his partner, Marcello Paiva Jardim, and more gold when he won in mixed senior pro doubles with Lee Whitwell.
In women’ s senior pro doubles, Sheri Courter and Molly Carter defeated the team of Kara Williams and Hall of Fame member Jennifer Dawson. Dawson was the world’ s first-ever Triple Crown champion when she captured gold medals in singles, doubles and mixed doubles at the 2017 Minto US Open.
The tournament also featured a new Junior Championship, showcasing the future talent in pickleball. Indigo Dagnall became the first junior to achieve the Triple Crown, winning gold in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles.
Congratulations also to JF Sylvestre who claimed the Triple Crown in the wheelchair division. •
Drew Wathey is a published author and screenwriter(“ A Season With Hope”) and former director of communications for the PGA Tour’ s Phoenix Open. Wathey is the owner of SportsLink, a home-based sports public relations and marketing company. He is also a national sports anchor for iHeart Radio. His family lives in Phoenix, Arizona.
MAY / JUNE 2025 | MAGAZINE 33