Top players from around the globe are bringing their talents to Cape Coral once again, as the city hosts another major pickleball tournament.

The Carvana PPA Tour Zimmer Biomet Cape Coral Open returns to the Cape for a week-long tournament, inviting pickleball enthusiasts of all ages and skill levels to participate alongside the best professional players in the sport.

Taking place at The Courts, Cape Coral from Feb. 9-15, the Cape Coral Open promises an unforgettable experience for both amateur and professional players alike.

“Cape Coral is one of our favorite stops on the Carvana PPA Tour,” said PPA SVP of Marketing and Communication Jeff Watson. “Florida is such a hotbed for pickleball. Most of our pros live within driving distance to Cape Coral. The fans come out in droves. We’ll have more than a thousand amateurs competing alongside the pros. So the venue is spectacular. The energy will be electric and we’re so excited to come back.”

This week-long tournament gives pickleball enthusiasts the opportunity to watch the top professionals compete for the biggest payouts in the sport. Among the participating competitors will be the winningest pickleball player of all-time, women’s world No.1 Anna Leigh Waters. She will be competing against other superstar players such as multi-time champion Ben Johns and men’s world No.1 Hunter Johnson. Also in the field are Wimbledon finalist Genie Bouchard, and local stars Grayson Goldin and Hannah Blatt.

Watson said attaining a PPA event is a one-of-a-kind experience — a haven for those that love the sport, and that seeing the best-of-the-bet show their skills is an unmatched sight. 

“One of the one of the things that we try to do at the PPA Tour is show the kind of philosophy that pickleball is such an easy sport to learn, but it is so difficult to master,” he said. “The only way you can really see that is by watching the pros. You can obviously watch them on (TV and national broadcasts), but there’s nothing like seeing them in person. You’ll have some of the top players in the world and you’ll get an up close and personal view of really what it’s like to be an expert in this sport, that everyone can easily pick up. So the the hand speed is dramatically different when you’re watching in person with the pros, the dinks are infallible.

“It’s really such a huge difference between the public park game and the pros.”

Events in men’s and women’s singles, mixed doubles, and men’s and women’s doubles will play out across the week. Registration is open until Sunday, with already more than 1,000 players entered. Registrants will be separated by age and skill level. There will also be clinics and camps. 

“All age and skill levels are welcome,” Watson said. “If you’ve picked up a paddle for the first time in the last three months or if you or if you are a seasoned player that wants to see if they can kind of compete in the highest levels, we have all different skill divisions, and also age divisions as well. So if you want to play mixed doubles with your mom or kind of find a work colleague and go out and play, there’s divisions and skill levels for everyone. It’s going to be very fun.”

Watson added that pickleball is unique in the way that it’s a pro competition where an amateur can be playing the same sport and turn to their left and see one of the best five players in the world playing on an adjacent court. 

The Court Cape Coral features 32 pickleball courts, 12 tennis courts and opened in Aug. 28 of 2024. The venue has been extremely popular in Southwest Florida, with booming membership numbers. It has also been very favorable for big events and organizations such as the PPA.

“It takes a very remarkable venue to be able to host the PPA tournament,” Watson said. “You have to have a certain number of courts to host more than 1,000 amateurs at any given time. The pros have to enjoy the surface. You have to have space to have a stadium and seating for people to watch Humana Championship Court. So the venue ticks all of those boxes and then some. It’s a great space to where we can kind of spread our wings and host an incredible fan zone with vendors and games and food and all of that. I mean, it’s an incredible venue, and that’s why we we’ve kept coming back.”

Singing the national anthem on Championship Sunday will be 17-year-old Sydney Rodman, a local of Cape Coral and staff member at The Courts, Cape Coral.

For more on the PPA Carvana Simmer Biomet Cape Coral Open, tickets, and to register for the tournament or camps, visit ppatour.com.

The Courts, Cape Coral is at 420 S.W. 2nd Ave.

For more information, visit playthecourtscapecoral.com. 

To reach CJ HADDAD, please email cjhaddad@breezenewspapers.com