Corrine Carr

Amidst the rolling green hills, well-manicured fairways and undulating greens in and around Myrtle Beach and Pinehurst, North Carolina, golf was a natural sport to gravitate to early on in Corrine Carr’s life. She quickly excelled on the links, earning a scholarship to Furman University. She would eventually finish up her collegiate career at South Carolina, playing for the Gamecocks. Carr was also a talented tennis player, having taken to the courts as a junior and it was an easy transition for her when she first started playing pickleball, nearly six years ago, in 2014. At the time, she was living in Michigan where she was finishing up her PhD in Finance at Michigan State. “I love how social the sport of pickleball is.  Most people are also incredibly friendly.  I walked away from my first tournament absolutely in love with the game because of the friendly competition.  I’d never experienced anything quite like that, and I have competed at a high level in athletics for most of my life.  Pickleball is truly special.”

Carr is also a special player having won numerous gold medals including Women’s Doubles Pro at the 2018 Tournament of Champions and 2018 US Open. Two years ago, she would capture gold in Women’s Doubles Open at the USAPA National Championships and in Women’s Doubles Pro at the US Open. At the 2017 Tournament of Champions, Carr won gold in the Women’s Doubles Masters. “Regardless of age and athletic ability, almost everyone who tries pickleball loves it.  I think we’ve had explosive growth in recent years because more people know about the game and are trying it.  Once they try it, they get hooked!”

At last year’s Margaritaville USA Pickleball National Championships. Carr won a silver medal along with playing partner Simone Jardim in Women’s Pro Doubles. In 2019, the twosome teamed up again to earn another silver at the US Open in Naples, Florida in Women’s Pro Doubles.

According to Carr, the sport’s meteoric rise in popularity is directly attributable to the tennis community fully accepting the fastest growing racket/paddle sport in America.  “I’m thrilled Indian Wells is our venue for the Margaritaville USA Pickleball National Championships.  It’s a world-class facility and it also says to me that the tennis world is fully embracing pickleball.”