The Pickleball Store Event Recap
As some of you may have seen, we recently hosted our very own event, The Pickleball Store Pickleball Event. When we founded the store, our vision extended far beyond being just a retailer. We wanted to immerse ourselves in a sport that has profoundly transformed our lives in the most positive ways. Our goal was to build meaningful connections with partners and players from all walks of life. It was this passion for pickleball that led to the creation of The Pickleball Store Southampton Pickleball Event—the first of many more to come.
In collaboration with the Pickleb.co.uk team, we welcomed around 300 players to the inaugural Team Pickleball Store event at the Southampton Tennis Centre over the weekend of May 18th & 19th. The venue featured 22+ dedicated pickleball courts, multiple age brackets, and some incredibly challenging events.
The weekend kicked off on Friday evening with the setup, where we arranged 22 courts at the Southampton Tennis Centre and created The Pickleball Store pop-up, offering hundreds of products from top brands in the pickleball world, including Joola, Selkirk, Paddletek, Diadem, Franklin, Ronbus, HEAD, and more. (insert picture)
Saturday 18th May: Men’s Doubles 18+, Women’s Doubles 18+, and Mixed Doubles 50+
The competition was fierce across all categories, with players traveling from far and wide, including from clubs such as Edinburgh Pickleball and Exeter Pickleball Club. We were also thrilled to be joined by James Chaudry, the UK’s only 6.0 Dupr-rated player, participating in men’s doubles and meeting other players.
Sunday: Men’s Doubles 50+, Women’s Doubles 50+, and Mixed Doubles 18+
Sunday brought another day of thrilling pickleball action, highlighting some of the best mixed pairings in Europe. We were delighted to see Premier Pickleball League stars such as Ed Hares, Emily Jelly, Ben Cawston (World No. 1 Rackets Player), Hermione Baxter Chinery, Tom Turney (our first sponsored athlete), Mercedes Baxter Chinery, Katie Morris (HEAD Athlete), Tom Corfield (Selkirk Advocate), Julie Mac (top 50+ player), alongside Pickleball England’s Chris Mitchell (Europe’s Top 60+ player), and many more. The mixed 4.5+ bracket was particularly intense, arguably the toughest we've seen outside of the English Nationals and Open.
While we celebrated some of the top players in the UK and Europe, we also want to acknowledge all participants who competed and played, including many who were entering their first-ever tournament. It was inspiring to see newcomers stepping onto the court, eager to test their skills and gain experience, as well as familiar faces pushing themselves to advance through the brackets with tougher pairings. It was wonderful to meet each and every player.
A Heartfelt Thank You
We are absolutely overwhelmed by the success and the support we received from the pickleball community and cannot thank you enough. Each and every one of you has played a crucial role in the story of The Pickleball Store—a story that is just beginning and one we believe will change the face of UK Pickleball.
The best is yet to come!
Stay tuned for more events, updates, and stories as we continue to grow and celebrate this incredible sport together. Your enthusiasm and passion drive us, and we can't wait to see where this journey takes us next.
Images provided by https://www.reeceattrillphotography.com/