Photo: Kim Tunnicliffe / WBZ NewsRadio
ACTON, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — Though it's commonly associated as a senior sport, younger pickleball players were swinging into action over at a tournament at the Quail Ridge Country Club's Tennis & Pickleball Facility in Acton over the weekend.
WBZ's Kim Tunnicliffe was courtside in the blistering heat where dozens of pickleball players faced off in the Boston Pickleball Classic from the World Pickleball Tour. The tournament runs from Friday through Sunday, with $5,000 cash prizes allotted for multiple skill levels. David Campbell of Winchester says he's taking part in the men's singles division.
"It's the first time I've played singles, so I'm pretty pumped up about it. It's a nice venue out here— I'm ready to play. The allure of pickleball for me is the comradery and just being able to smash, smash, smash," Campbell said.
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One of the challenges of the tournament was the intense heat beaming down on players standing over the hot court pavement. Jack Ryan of Haverhill was sweating before he had even taken his position for his pickleball match on Friday, and says that while he's new to the sport, his family has been playing for a while now.
"It's my first tournament so I'm looking forward to it and watching everyone. But [I'm] just staying cool, staying hydrated, and hopefully get more points. My parents started three years ago, and they're obsessed, so I started playing with them and I kind of got obsessed," Ryan said.
WBZ's Kim Tunnicliffe (@KimWBZ) reports.
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