Naples: World Pickleball Capitol

Simone Jardin, right, celebrates with teammate Corrine Carr Siebenschein after they won gold in the women’s pro doubles on Saturday. (Photo: Katie Klann/Naples Daily News)

East Naples Community Park hosted the largest event in the history of the up-and-coming sport the past seven days. Now Southwest Florida also can boast it has the best players in the world.

The U.S. Open included 1,300 players from 42 states and 14 countries.

The three pro doubles finals were played in front of 1,000 spectators under the brand new $700,000 cover over the Zing Zang Championship Court.

"It thrills me to my core to see what’s going on," Collier County commissioner Donna Fiala told the sold-out crowd. "And this is only the second year. Wait until next year! Wait until next year!"

Playing into the idea that Naples is pickleball’s international capital, Championship Saturday included a Olympics-stay flag ceremony. Players from each of the 14 countries represented carried their nation’s flag through center court in a display of international unity before the men’s doubles final.

http://www.news-press.com/story/sports/2017/04/29/pickleball-jardim-yates-close-us-open-doubles-titles-front-home-crowd/101091504/