Local News | World Pickleball Series headed to South Florida

To meet the constant growth of pickleball, a World Pickleball Series is headed to South Florida in the coming months.

Residents from throughout the country are expected to register for the upcoming four events that are expected to attract over 1,500 pro and amateur participants. Two events are USA Pickleball-sanctioned tournaments, meaning results count toward player ratings and the events abide by USA Pickleball rules and requirements.

“HSS (Hospital for Special Surgery) Florida is thrilled to sponsor the World Pickleball Classic and World Pickleball Open,” CEO Tara McCoy said in a statement. “As organizers of one of the largest pickleball tournaments in the county, World Pickleball Series understands the importance of the leading-edge orthopedic care that HSS Florida provides as a key factor in keeping athletes of all abilities and ages in the game.”

The four events are the inaugural World Pickleball Classic presented by the Hospital for Special Surgery Oct. 12-15 at Palm Beach Gardens Tennis & Pickleball Center, which will include both amateur and pros. The pro divisions will award up to $25,000 in prize money and the entry deadline for all divisions is Sept. 28.

The next event will be the Martin County Senior Games Oct. 26-28 at Halpatiokee Park in Stuart for players age 50 and up and the top four in each division qualify for the Florida State Senior Games. The registration deadline is Oct. 20.

The fourth annual World Pickleball Open presented by Hospital for Special Surgery and Kolter Homes returns to Palm Beach Gardens Nov. 16-19. Last year’s event attracted over 600 pro and amateur participants from 20 states and eight countries. The prize money for the pro divisions will be up to $25,000 and the entry deadline is Nov. 2.

The final event of the fall will be the inaugural World Pickleball Challenge Dec. 15-17 at Whispering Pines Park in Port St. Lucie. This event is for amateurs only and will use a round-robin format for men’s and women’s skills divisions ranging from age 19 to 60 and older. The registration deadline is Nov. 30.

The World Pickleball Series is managed by Players International Management, the sister company of the group that has run the Delray Beach Open ATP tennis tournament for over 30 years (coming up Feb. 9-18, 2024) as well as the YellowTennisBall.com, a series of over 25 state, national and international USTA and ITF amateur tennis events consisting of many of the highest-ranked players in the United States.

For information, email Ivan Baron at .