NAPLES, Fla. – Naples, Fla., will soon host one of the largest and most prestigious pickleball tournaments in the world.
The 8th annual Minto US OPEN Pickleball Championships, also known as the “Biggest Pickleball Party in the World,” will take place at the East Naples Community Park from April 13 to 23. More than 3,000 players competed in the event in 2023, and 40,000 people watched the action. People come to The OPEN from all 50 states and American Samoa, as well as from 29 countries around the world—Armenia to Zimbabwe. The age of participants and spectators ranges from 8 to 88.
Tucked in the corner of southwest Florida, the Naples Pickleball Center is one of the top pickleball facilities in the U.S., welcoming over 2,200 members and 15,000 annual visitors. Guests and residents can enjoy a leisurely game with friends, take lessons from an instructor, participate in a pickleball clinic, or watch an ongoing competition. Owner Bob Strommen is also a founder of the National Pickleball League, a nationwide competition for professional pickleball players, which opens its second season in May. The league will introduce six new teams in cities from Seattle to Houston to Columbus. Apart from the Naples Pickleball Center and East Naples Community Park, players can find courts at Veterans Community Park, Fleischmann Park, and the Greater Naples YMCA.
