MILWAUKEE— More than 932 amateur and professional pickleball players are competing in the first ever Professional Pickleball Association Milwaukee Open at the Baird Center.
The tournament began on November 14th and is set to continue until Sunday, November 17th.
Professional pickler, Julian Arnold said that the tournament invites all players of different ages and skill levels.
“With pickleball, anyone can just pick up a paddle day one and dink the ball around and have fun,” said Arnold. “From there, there’s just so much to learn. The entry level is low, but obviously you can take it to the level that we’re playing out here which is very impressive in my opinion.”
Kate Fahey tells WTMJ that she only really began playing pickleball a year ago and is now competing at the professional level, something she never expected to ever happen.
“I started out for fun playing a local 3-5 tournament with my co-worker, became hooked ever since and now it taken me here which I’m really grateful for,” said Fahey.
Fahey is set to play in the women’s championship round on Sunday, but she says anyone playing pickleball should have fun.
“Just enjoy it. We’re out here and we’re playing a really fun sport,” said Fahey. “It really beats sitting in a cubicle all day and this is how we want to enjoy our weekend.”
Amateur players Patrick Diehr and Noah Dehli have played together for a year and were surprised by how large the Milwaukee Open tournament was.
“I’m honestly surprised by how many people have travelled not just to compete, but to watch this tournament,” said Diehr.
“I thought pickleball was something you just did for fun, but this sport has definitely grown bigger,” said Dehli.
Pro player director, Dillion Segur says what makes the the sport of pickleball so enticing to many are connections players make with each other on and off the court.
“The relationships you build are once in a lifetime,” said Segur. “It’s cross-generational and some of my best friends are fifty years older than me and I’d give anything to keep playing with them.”
So far, more than 4,100 people have attended the tournament with more expected to return on Sunday for the championship rounds.
