Get Ready for the English OPEN 2024!
Hey fellow Pickleballers, Lloyd here from The Pickleball Store, wishing all you players the best of luck in the upcoming English OPEN.
In less than 24 hours, players from all over the world will descend upon the International Centre in Telford for the annual English OPEN Pickleball event. This year’s tournament is set to be the biggest and best yet! Whether you're a seasoned pro, new to the game, or just love to watch, there’s something for everyone. Let’s dive into what’s in store! (No pun intended.)
A Week-Long Tournament
This year, the English OPEN will span seven days, from August 8th to 14th, at the Telford International Centre. The capacity of the event has been expanded from last year’s four-day event to welcome almost 2,000 players from around the world—double the number from last year. With more days and more players, expect non-stop pickleball action across the week.
Shorter Days, More Play Time
Long days are a thing of the past. Matches won’t stretch into the late evening, unlike last year when the Women’s Doubles Open final finished around 9pm. With the extended schedule and brackets split over multiple days, we’ll finish much earlier this year. For those who like to squeeze in a bit more pickleball, the courts will be available in the evenings for casual, recreational play. So you’re covered!
Age-Based Brackets
To minimise the number of days players need to stay in Telford, as with most years at the English Open the tournament has been split into a variety of age groups. This means you can focus on your matches and still have time to enjoy the event. And if you’re 35+ but your partner is 18+, you can still play together by playing down in age. Who knows, it may make you feel 18 again!
International Participation
With 1,976 players from 42 countries, this tournament is truly international. According to Pickleball England this is the biggest indoor tournament outside of the US. This alone mixed with the prize money brings a real mix of cultures and styles. You have players coming from all corners of the globe, from India to New Zealand and the US. This makes the competition itself incredibly dynamic and is by far one of the best parts of the English Open.
Major Events
If you're making the visit to Telford below are some events you'll want to check out, mainly as from spectator point of view the stand of play will be at its highest. Here’s a look at some of the big events:
Men’s OPEN Singles: 12 groups of 5 individual players from our own Louis Laville and Tom Turney to Ryler De Heart and Jack Munro - two of the hottest US talents. It's all to play for.
Women’s OPEN Singles: 5 groups of 5 individual players including the best in the UK Thaddea Lock and here partner Pei going head to head in a grueling battle for first.
Men’s OPEN Doubles: 8 groups of 5 - A packed field of some very talented players, who will come out on top?
Women’s OPEN Doubles: 3 groups of 5 - One of the most entertaining and fast paced events of the weekend.
Mixed Doubles OPEN: 9 groups of 5 – the largest event with 90 players!
Off-Court Activities
There’s more than just matches happening over the week. Heres a summary below of other things going on:
Battle of the Paddles: Free event on August 8th.
Pro Clinics: Improve your game with pro tips on August 8th and 14th.
Commentary Camp: Learn the ropes of pickleball commentary with Dominic Catalano on August 8th.
Pro plus 3: Play and learn from a pro on August 8th and 14th.
Referee Workshop: Interested in officiating? Join the workshop on August 8th.
Approved Equipment
One thing to note, and it may be worth thinking about this if you plan to enter more events over the world: ensure your paddle is tournament-approved by checking the USAP-approved paddle list.
Let the Games Begin! 🏓
If you’ve missed this year, don’t worry—you can still catch all the action. Tune into the Pickleball England YouTube channel, where all the centre court matches will be live-streamed with commentary.
So, mark your calendars, pack your paddles, and get ready for an unforgettable week at the 2024 English OPEN. See you in Telford!