Helping to alleviate the loss was knowing that they had already qualified for the USA Pickleball National Championships this November in San Diego. The couple won mixed doubles in the 75 + division, and they also earned tickets in their age groups for singles and men’ s and women’ s doubles.
Both had been tennis players first and still compete in that sport as well. They recently won gold at the United States Tennis Association’ s National Husband & Wife Doubles Championships in Kansas, which came a couple of months after taking home a silver from the USTA’ s Husband and Wife Grass Court Nationals.
The two first met at a tennis club in 1982 when Fors spent a few years in Aspen, Colorado. They reconnected after Sawer’ s wife of 47 years died, and have been married for half a dozen years.
Sawer helped revitalize Fors’ interest in tennis after she hadn’ t played in about 20 years. He also taught her how to golf.
They learned how to play pickleball together, and it’ s become a perfect activity for the athletic couple. Last year they medaled in singles, doubles and mixed doubles at the U. S. Senior Pickleball National Championships in Casa Grande, Arizona.
Before they play at USA Pickleball Nationals, they’ re looking forward to the Huntsman World Senior Games this October in St. George, Utah, where they’ ll compete in five days of tennis, three days of pickleball and two days of golf.
“ I like competition, and he likes competition,” Fors said.“ One of my attributes is being athletic for my age. Kenny is very good and he’ s very fast. So, any short balls I can’ t get to, he gets to. We’ re really good at strategy, like finding out the person who’ s a little weaker or has a little weaker backhand and play those shots.”
“ Anything that is competitive, we like,” Sawer said.“ She’ s probably more competitive than I am. Together we’ re driven. It’ s all fun.”
Jen Mulson is a freelance contributor to USA Pickleball on behalf of Red Line Editorial, Inc.
SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2025 | MAGAZINE 57