Pickleball England has announced a record number of players are set to compete at the forthcoming English OPEN, as the sport's popularity continues to soar.
Taking place from the 8th - 14th August at the Telford International Centre, the English OPEN will be the largest pickleball event taking place outside of North America, with a record number of almost 2,000 players from 42 countries set to participate.
The English OPEN will comprise seven days of high-level competition, with the world's top professionals from America Europe and Asia set to take to the court in singles, doubles, mixed, wheelchair and junior events.
With ages from 7 to 70+ set to compete, the event is reflective of the incredible growth in pickleball over recent years, with the English OPEN now establishing itself as a tournament which stands alongside the biggest in America.
With over 30,000 active players and almost seven hundred places to play in the UK, pickleball has seen exponential growth in recent years. Indeed, Pickleball England has reported a 41% increase in member registrations since the end of 2023, highlighting growth and interest in the sport.
A hybrid of tennis, badminton & table tennis, the sport's popularity has been attributed to its accessibility. Easy to pick up and fun to play, the sport's accessibility transcends demographics, providing it with universal appeal.
Speaking about the forthcoming event, Karen Mitchell, Chair and Co-Founding Director of Pickleball England said:
'We are absolutely thrilled to have a record number of players from over 40 different countries sign up to take part in this year's English OPEN. The Telford International Centre is the perfect venue to host an event of this scale, and we cannot wait to showcase the best of our sport. We have some of the world's top players set to compete and I know the level is going to be high. We are hoping the English OPEN will inspire more people to try the sport and we'd love to encourage anyone to come down and watch if they've never seen pickleball played before - it's perfect for all ages and abilities.'