USA Pickleball’s Inaugural Diamond Amateur Championship Welcomed Nearly 1,200 Athletes
USA Pickleball, the National Governing Body for the sport of pickleball, hosted the inaugural Diamond Amateur Championship earlier this month from December 1-7 in Holly Hill, Florida. A total of 1,165 players descended upon Pictona at Holly Hill to play in over 2,740 matches on 49 pickleball courts.
The competition ranged from 13 to 83 years old and hailed from 47 states. A total of 42 referees officiated the six-day tournament, with volunteers accumulating 1,300 hours by helping throughout the event.
“We truly enjoyed welcoming our fantastic amateur players to Pictona for the chance to compete at a high level and punch their ticket to next year’s National Championships,” said USA Pickleball Chief Executive Officer Stu Upson. “We were blown away by the competition and turnout for the tournament – I’d like to thank our staff and the incredible team at Pictona for their hard work in making this event a success. We look forward to hosting more editions of the Diamond Amateur Championship in the years to come.”
The 339 gold medalists from the Diamond Amateur Championship earned pre-registration (Golden Tickets) to the 2023 USA Pickleball National Championships at Indian Wells Tennis Garden. More details regarding the 2023 National Championship event will be released in future months.
“The first-ever USA Pickleball Diamond Amateur Championship was a triumph – we were thrilled to witness the great pickleball action and energy that filled the courts throughout the competition,” said Rainer and Julie Martens, Pictona Directors. “We want to thank everyone who was involved in organizing this inaugural event and turning Pictona into a premium destination for pickleball players and fans.”
The Diamond Amateur Championship served as the season-long culmination of 12 Diamond Amateur Regional Championship events. For more information, please visit the event website here.
