USA Pickleball’s Inaugural Diamond Amateur Championship Set to Kick-Off Today
Nearly 1,200 players will compete in the first-ever Diamond Amateur Championship from December 1-7 in Holly Hill, Florida
Holly Hill, FL (December 1, 2022) — USA Pickleball, the National Governing Body for the sport of pickleball, today kicked off the inaugural Diamond Amateur Championship. A total of 1,193 players, ages 13-83 from 47 states, will be competing over the next week at Pictona at Holly Hill, one of the finest pickleball facilities in the country.
Gold medalists from the Diamond Amateur Championship will earn pre-registration (Golden Tickets) to the 2023 USA Pickleball National Championships at Indian Wells Tennis Garden, serving as another pathway for players to the sport’s premier event, in addition to the USA Pickleball National Championship Series.
“We are excited to establish the Diamond Amateur Championship to provide players additional opportunities for high-level tournament play and an important avenue for earning Golden Tickets to the USA Pickleball National Championships,” said USA Pickleball Chief Executive Officer Stu Upson. “Pictona is a world-class facility capable of hosting significant events like the Diamond Amateur Championship.“
All players advanced through USA Pickleball’s Regional Championships held during the season. In order to qualify for the Diamond Amateur Championship, players must be a current USA Pickleball member, and a gold or silver medalist from one of the 12 Regional Championships.
“Pictona at Holly Hill is delighted to be the host for the first-ever USA Pickleball Diamond Amateur Championship. The tournament will mark the grand opening of the second phase of Pictona,” said Rainer and Julie Martens, Pictona Directors. “Players will be greeted with a total of 49 courts, each separately fenced, and 13 courts under cover, which includes the championship court that seats up to 1,200. We look forward to welcoming players and fans from around the world, while working with USA Pickleball to provide an outstanding tournament experience in beautiful Holly Hill, Florida.”
The format of the Diamond Amateur Championship will feature round-robin pools leading to a double elimination championship for each bracket. The tournament schedule can be found below:
Thursday, December 1: Women’s Doubles
Skill/Age: 19+, 35+, 50+, 55+
Friday, December 2: Mixed Doubles
Skill/Age: 19+, 35+, 50+, 55+
Saturday, December 3: Men’s Doubles
Skill/Age: 19+, 35+, 50+, 55+
Sunday, December 4: All Singles
Skill/Age: 19+, 35+, 50+, 55+, 60+
Age/Skill: 65+, 70+, 75+, 80+, 85+
Monday, December 5: Women’s Doubles
Skill/Age: 60-64
Age/Skill: 65+, 70+, 75+, 80+, 85+
Tuesday, December 6: Mixed Doubles
Skill/Age: 60-64
Age/Skill: 65+, 70+, 75+, 80+, 85+
Wednesday, December 7: Men’s Doubles
Skill/Age: 60-64
Age/Skill: 65+, 70+, 75+, 80+, 85+
For more information, please visit the event website here.
Media Contact:
Melissa Zhang, Director of Communications & Content
mzhang@usapickleball.org