Global Expansion: Pickleball Pro Tour Goes International

The Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) will host its first international tournaments in 2024, marking the overseas debut of the pro pickleball tour. Events will be held in Australia, India, Canada, Asia, and Europe, culminating in the World Championships in Dallas. The sport is witnessing explosive growth globally.

The Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) is set to take its popular paddle sport to international shores for the first time, with tournaments scheduled in Australia, India, Canada, Asia, and Europe in 2024, organizers announced on Thursday. This marks a significant step as ranking points will be awarded in these competitions, reflecting the sport's growing global appeal.

The inaugural event of the international leg will take place in Melbourne starting on January 29, followed by tournaments in Mumbai in February and Toronto in September. Additional events in Asia and Europe will be disclosed later, all leading up to the World Championships in Dallas in November.

'The United Pickleball Association is thrilled to introduce top players and premier events to new global audiences,' said Anne Worcester, strategic advisor for the UPA. Worcester, formerly the CEO of the Women's Tennis Association (WTA), highlighted the tour's star-studded lineup, which includes ex-Wimbledon finalist Eugenie Bouchard and two-time Olympic medalist Jack Sock.

Top names in the PPA tour such as 17-year-old Anna Leigh Waters, world number one in doubles and mixed doubles Ben Johns, and Argentina's top men's singles player Federico Staksrud are set to compete. The sport, featuring a fast-paced game using a perforated plastic ball, was invented in 1965 and has seen interest soar recently.

Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the United States, with a 52% increase in participants from 2022 to 2023, according to the United Pickleball Association.

(With inputs from agencies.)