For the third year in a row, Pickleball England has successfully hosted Europe's largest pickleball tournaments, furthering the growth of this exciting sport on a global scale. This year's event featured pro players from around the world, including notable names like Ryler Deheart, Max Jesus Manthou, Susannah Barr, and Thadea Lock. As always, DUPR was there to provide official ratings, ensuring an accurately measured competitive experience for all players.
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About Pickleball England and The English Open

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Pickleball England began its journey in January 2019 and has proudly hosted the English Open for the fourth time. Compared to last year, the English Open saw a remarkable jump in participation, growing from 1,059 players in 2023 to 1,998 in 2024—nearly doubling in just one tournament! Notably, the English Open attracted an impressive 45 different nationalities (including the 4 countries forming the UK), showcasing the sport's international appeal.

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Karen Mitchell, co-founder and chair of Pickleball England, highlights what makes the English Open a standout event. "It’s the friendliness of our players—about 80% are from the UK—combined with the allure of professional players and enriching experiences like clinics and 'play with a pro' sessions. Our reputation has been meticulously built over the years, enhanced by live-streaming from our Championship Court. It’s a unique combination of factors that create a special atmosphere."

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The Road to Gold

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This year, American player Jack Munro and British/German player Megan Fudge certainly made their mark at the Open. Jack clinched multiple medals, including silver in Men's Doubles and gold in Mixed Doubles.

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“There was such an incredible atmosphere with winning gold alongside Megan, and seeing my international fans is definitely my favorite part”, Jack shared, “but I do think one of the most memorable moments for all of our players is playing against a completely different nationality, in which there were many fans and supporters that watched and rooted against us just because they wanted to support their home country. That is something that we were not used to, and definitely took some acclimating,” he adds.

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Megan, who has been competing internationally for some time, echoed this sentiment.

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"It feels great to add more international pro medals under my belt. I’ve noticed that many international players bring a lot of bang-bang” she says, "fast-paced, aggressive style to the game, often stemming from their tennis backgrounds. I had hoped to medal in both mixed and doubles events, and I achieved that."

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The Growth of Pickleball Data and Accurate Ratings

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The DUPR system played a crucial role in ensuring fair competition throughout the tournament. “The reliability of player ratings has significantly improved,” Karen notes, emphasizing that players will need to compete at the right skill level for upcoming events like the English Nationals.

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Jack and Megan both see the benefits of growing the sport globally. Jack reflected,

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“The multiple medals definitely help with validation, especially across the pond," Jack says. "Being able to play in a completely different environment, with a completely different play style and attitudes towards the game, is something that I was not used to. I'm glad I was able to live up to expectations at this tournament and look forward to continuing to do so.” 

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Meanwhile, Megan expressed excitement about the sport’s future:

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"I think we will continue to see an exponential growth globally as tours evolve and more international tournaments get bigger prize money and draws. It’s an exciting time to be part of pickleball!"

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As the sport continues to flourish, Karen adds:

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"The more data that goes into DUPR the more accurate our players' information will be, which will help us ensure that players enter the right skill level events which in turn will make brackets fairer for players."

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Indeed it is an exciting time to be a part of pickleball, and we can’t wait to continue to provide accurate ratings across the globe throughout every player's pickleball journey!

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Follow Jack and Megan's journey on their Instagram, and don't miss any upcoming events with Pickleball England.