Houston hosts national pickleball tournament with hundreds of players

Hundreds of pickleball players are descending on Memorial Park Tennis Courts for a national pickleball tournament.

Senior pros to amateur players are expected to compete until Sunday in the APP Sunmed Houston Open. More than 600 participants have registered for the tournament.

“We are extremely excited. We converted into a few, at least eight, pickleball courts for this event to take part,” said Kenneth Allen, Director of the Houston Parks and Recreation Department. “So, yeah, we’re happy and people are showing up and festivities have started and we’re just excited to promote the sport and begin looking at opportunities for citizens to engage in pickleball throughout the city.”

Pickleball combines elements of tennis, badminton and ping pong. It’s one of the fastest growing sports in the U.S., according to Houston Parks and Recreation Department. An estimated 4.8 million people play nationwide, and about 10,000 people play in the Houston area, according to the Houston Pickleball Association.

“It’s a growing sport. So in terms of courts and amenities and teaching, a lot needs to be done in Houston,” Allen said. “However, we can expose the sport and get people engaged.”

Allen added that he hopes the tournament serves as a catalyst for the city to get more people involved in the sport.

Chrissie Hintz has been a pickleball fan for years. She said the name tends to draw people into the sport.

“Honestly, it’s such a great name that it kind of hooks people in whether they realize it or not,” she said, “Because you’re immediately into it; like ‘Hey, pickleball, that’s crazy. That sounds like a lot of fun.'”