Pro pickleball tournament makes its way to Tucson this week

A professional pickleball tournament is in Tucson this week, and it’s kind of a big dill.

You see what we did there?

Amateur and professional pickleball players are set to participate in the first-ever Carvana PPA Tour Tucson Open, which kicks off at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 5, and runs through Sunday, Feb. 9.

The five-day event is taking place at the Tucson Racquet and Fitness Club, 4001 N. Country Club Road.

Tickets are still available and start at $15 for Wednesday’s qualifier matches or $25 and up for Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday’s pro division matches. Weekend passes are also available starting at $80.

The basic ground pass gets you access to a majority of the courts except for the championship courts, which requires a separate court-side pass.

“Fans can expect to see the best players in the world compete at the highest level, as well as hundreds of other amateurs walking around the grounds, soaking in the sights, grabbing a drink and seeing all of our wonderful partners in vendor booths,” said Jeff Watson, vice president of communications for the Carvana PPA Tour. “It’s gonna be a great week.”

Those interested in watching the event, but are unable to attend can watch the matches on PickleballTV starting at 11 a.m.

“So, the Arizona swing, which this year, it’s Tucson and then Mesa in a few weeks, is a super popular swing for us,” Watson said. “The pros love to play in Arizona and a lot of amateurs come out and play, too.”

Some professional players participating in the event include Anna Leigh Waters, Ben Johns, Wimbledon finalist Genie Bouchard and former ATP top-10-ranked player Jack Sock.

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But it’s not just all about the professionals.

In its first Tucson event, the Carvana PPA Tour Tucson Open has around 800 amateur registrants.

Amateur registration for the Tucson Open closed on Feb. 1, but registration for the Carvana PPA Mesa Cup, which runs from Feb. 17-23, is still open.

“That’s one of our biggest things is it’s not just a pro tour, it’s also an amateur tour,” Watson said. “You get to play where the pros play. So, imagine going to Wimbledon and seeing Serena Williams playing at a court next to you and then you’re playing on the court next to her. That’s what the PPA Tour is. It’s very exciting stuff.”

Pickleball is currently the fastest-growing sport in the U.S., and not just in amateur players and leagues.

In a recent study conducted by the PPA, they found that their female pro players “on average, are making more than the highest-paid WNBA athlete,” according to Watson.

And from the looks of it, pickleball’s upward trajectory in popularity is here to stay, at least in Tucson.

Tucson has more than a dozen places to play pickleball, with many more clubs, leagues and events sure to be on their way in the future.

“Fans can be a part of kind of the birth of pro pickleball at these events and come to these events and see how professional and big and exciting they are,” Watson said. “It’s fun to get in at the ground floor and be able to experience these wonderful events. But also, I think that most fans would be surprised to come to the tournament and see how professional and exciting they are and see the incredible level of play that our top athletes demonstrate.

“So, it’s a far cry away from your local park when you put your paddle in the rack. That’s a great way to play pickleball, but to experience the highest level of pickleball sitting in the stands is something completely different.”

For more information about the Carvana PPA Tucson Open, visit ppatour.com/tournament/proton-tucson-open.