Professional and amateur players from around the world are expected to show up for the third annual Delray Beach Pickleball Open on May 10-14 — not to mention the sport’s fans and spectators who are curious about the fastest-growing sport in the country.
The event, at the Delray Beach Tennis Center, has prize money of more than $30,000.
“The growth of pickleball nationally, and especially in South Florida, continues to surprise me as our tournaments sell out many divisions very fast and we could attract even more competitors if we had more courts,” said Carl Foster, the tournament’s producer and executive director. “We get players now from over 30 states as well as many international travelers from Canada, England, Singapore, Brazil, Spain, and more each year.”
Foster said the 2021 event attracted 710 players and about 590 spectators for the week coming out of COVID, with some masks and spacing restrictions still in place. In 2022, it was a sellout, with 895 players and 4,350 spectators for the week.
“I’m excited to see how the City of Delray Beach has embraced us bringing pro Pickleball with South Florida’s first big event in 2021 that had Delray’s top stars with Leigh and Anna Leigh Waters and J.W. and Julie Johnson playing in the big stadium in front of the hometown fans,” Foster said.
New divisions this year include a 30+, 40+ and a Super Senior 60+ Pro Division, he said. There will also be cash money shootouts and a charity celebrity Pro/Am and exhibition.
A total of 27 courts will be in use, and live television coverage is planned through the TV show, “Inside World Pickleball.”
For more information, visit pickleballtournaments.com.
