USA Pickleball Release/Photo credit: USA Pickleball / Toni Bocz
December 15, 2023 (Holly Hill, Florida) — USA Pickleball, the National Governing Body for the sport of pickleball in the United States, hosted the second annual Diamond Amateur Championship presented by Fortune Tires from December 3-10 in Holly Hill, Florida.
1,082 players competed in more than 2,945 matches at Pictona at Holly Hill during the week. Players took home more than 675 medals, with over 250 being gold medals that earned them a Golden Ticket and pre-registration to the 2024 Biofreeze USA Pickleball National Championships. More details regarding the 2024 National Championship event will be announced in future months.
“I cannot think of a better way to close out the year than the fantastic experience and event that was the 2023 USA Pickleball Diamond Amateur Championship. Congratulations to our Golden Ticket winners from Pictona – we’re thrilled to welcome you to Nationals next year,” said Mike Nealy, USA Pickleball’s Chief Executive Officer. “I’d like to thank the Pictona team, the referees, and volunteers for working with us to organize such a successful tournament. We look forward to welcoming our community back to Pictona in 2024.”
Participants ranging from 12 to 84 years old hailed from 48 states and the District of Columbia, as well as Canada, Puerto Rico, and Costa Rica. 54 percent of participants were male and 46 percent were female. Volunteers donated a total of 1,125 hours to conducting this 8 day spectacle.
“We are proud to host the second annual USA Pickleball Diamond Amateur Championship,” said Rainer and Julie Martens, Pictona Directors. “The winning combination of pool play followed by playoffs and an outstanding facility combined with great team work by USA Pickleball and Pictona made this tournament one of the best ever, according to many of the 1,082 players.”
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About USA Pickleball:
USA Pickleball is the National Governing Body for the sport of pickleball in the U.S. and provides players with official rules, tournaments, rankings and promotional materials. The mission of USA Pickleball is to promote the development and growth of pickleball in the United States and its territories. The association is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation and governed by a board of directors and professional staff who provide the guidance and infrastructure for the continued growth and development of the sport.