The world's best pickleball players have descended on Minnesota this week to compete at the highest of levels — indoors, thankfully.
Nearly 1,000 professional and amateur pickleball players will take part in the Professional Pickleball Association's Vulcan Indoor National Championships, to be held at the Life Time athletic club in Lakeville. Competition begins Thursday.
"My favorite place is probably Minnesota in February," pro pickleball player James Ignatowich, a Florida native and one of the Top 10 male players in the world, joked on Wednesday as snow fell outside his hotel in Burnsville. He eventually came clean: "It's actually my least favorite."
Minnesota's weather is not going to stop the tournament, said Hannah Johns, the content director for the Professional Pickleball Association, the sponsor of the event. There may be delays, but any disruptions will be minor, she added.
"We're still going ahead," she said.
Pickleball has exploded in recent years and it's been dubbed the fastest growing sport in the country. That's drawn a swarm of young talent, sponsorships and funding.
The 22-year-old Ignatowich and his girlfriend, 23-year-old Anna Bright, played tennis in college. They chose to take up pickleball in the past two years and have excelled. They now travel together to compete on the PPA tour, and will play in 26 events throughout the year.
It's the sport that looks like tennis but on a different scale. The courts are smaller, the paddles are lighter and the game is generally more accessible.
Pickleball was invented in 1965 in the state of Washington by three dads with children to entertain. It has grown more popular in recent years and there are now courts in Europe and Asia. The pro tour features national sponsors and event winners can take home thousands of dollars in winnings. The total purse: $238,000.
"It feels like I'm at the beginning of a startup and I'm just trying to get as big of a stake in it as I possibly can," Ignatowich said. "When people ask me what I do for a living, I get a lot of laughs that's for sure. But I think it's definitely worth it."
Both Ignatowich and Bright have risen in the pickleball ranks in less than a year. Bright had her pro debut last February and is already one of the best doubles female players in the world.
"I feel like James and I are people who kind of were talented and were addicted and really got in at the right time," Bright said. "It will be really fun to see where the game is even just six months from now."
When are the games?
The tournament will be held at Life Time in Lakeville at the following times:
- Thursday: 11 a.m. to finish for amateurs, 1 to 7 p.m. for pros
- Friday: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. for amateurs, 2 to 8 p.m. for pros
- Saturday: 7 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. for amateurs, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. for pros
- Sunday: 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. for amateurs, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for pros
Can I register for amateur league?
Unfortunately, it's too late to sign up to play.
How do I watch?
Spectator tickets are available for $25 here. The event will also be broadcast on TennisChannel.com and PPA TV.
