🗓 2023 Year In Review | English Open | Peak League founded

By David Judson · August 15, 2023

The 2023 English Open

The 2023 English Open was hosted at The Telford International Centre and ran from August 3rd-6th

Key stats:

40 pickleball courts were built on the trade show floor, turning it into the biggest pickleball event outside North America.
Many North American pros competed at the event, including Susanna Barr, Ryler DeHeart, Megan Fudge, Amanda Hendry, Rob Nunnery, Nick Petteson, and Lee Whitwell.
More than 500 spectators watched over 1,000 registered players throughout the 4-day event.
Major brand endorsement is happening: Skechers was named the official footwear sponsor.
The tournament received significant media attention, both online and in traditional channels, further boosting pickleball's popularity in the UK and Europe.
Opportunities for amateur players to play with the pros fostered a welcoming and fun atmosphere for players and spectators alike.

PEAK European Pickleball League is founded

Peak Pickleball Leagues | Viana do Castelo 2024 — *PEAK PPT Stage 3 Viana do Castelo 2024 | image source: peak-leagues.com*

The PEAK European Pickleball League (EPL) is a network of pickleball tournaments held in Europe. It has a unified scoring system, training program, and a unique competition format. The league was founded in 2023 with the aim of promoting and growing the sport of pickleball in Europe.

Key features:

Centralized network: Tournaments are held across various European countries with consistent rules and scoring across all events.
Unified ranking system: Players earn points based on their performance in each tournament, contributing to an overall European ranking.
Training program: Clinics led by top European players are offered to help players improve their skills.

Tournament Schedule:

The EPL season is divided into eight stages, each hosted in a different European city. The 2023-2024 season includes:

Porto Pickleball Open (Portugal) - April 29 - May 1, 2023
Elche Pickleball Masters (Spain) - June 29 - July 2, 2023
Hampshire England Pickleball Masters (UK) - November 17 - 19, 2023
Madrid Pickleball Masters (Spain) - May 2024
Munich Pickleball Open (Germany) - July 2024
Lisboa Pickleball Open (Portugal) - August 2024
Nice Pickleball Masters (France) - October 2024
Porto Final Knock-Outs (Portugal) - December 2024

The league has attracted thousands of players to compete in its tournaments and provided a platform for top European players to showcase their skills. It has created a community of pickleball enthusiasts from across the continent and helped standardize pickleball rules and competition formats in Europe.