Over 10 clubs to battle in third Uganda Pickleball Open

Over ten clubs are expected to field contestants in the third edition of the Uganda Pickleball Open set for next month at the Old Kampala Indoor Arena, June 14-15.

Players will contest for honours in five events: the men’s and women’s doubles, mixed doubles, and men’s and women’s singles. These will be grouped in four groups, each with the top two in each group qualifying for the quarterfinals before the semis and finals in each event.

According to the president of the Uganda Pickleball Association, Robert Bakaze, each team can field up to two players or even more, depending on their abilities in the different categories.

The top players will walk away with medals and certificates on top of prize money that will be determined after the registration. Registration stops on June 7.

“We expected 64-80 players to register for the event, but the registration will be on a first-come, first-served basis, and when we hit the target of 24 teams in the doubles and maybe 32 in the other events like the singles, we will close the entries,” Bakaze noted.

He said players from Makerere University, Kikaaya, Dream Team, Lira, Kamengo, Makerere, and Jinja clubs are expected to subscribe to the two-day championship in addition to a number of individual players from within and outside the country, including from the UK and Japan.

According to Bakaze, the future prospects for the sport include expanding it to all districts as per the demands of the new sports law and sending outstanding individuals to represent the country in various international events.

“We are working towards compliance with NCS regulations regarding associations, and we are looking to acquiring more equipment to spread the sport through schools in the country,” he noted.

Kampala Pickleball Club’s Samadi Mulani and William Ochom are already geared up for the event.

“You try to work on your weakness everyday and that’s how you get better, and I hope to be in shape for the championship. This is going to be the biggest I have competed in, and I’m looking forward to it,” Mulani, who also plays basketball, said.

“I have to come out victorious because that is the spirit of every sportsman. We want this championship to be successful so that we can continue to grow as pickleball players.”

William Ochom, who started playing three years ago after he found the sport interesting and engaging, also hopes to reach peak form by the start of the event. “I want to be recognized as one of the best players in this sport, and it is the goal I’m chasing,” he stated.

Pickleball is a racket or paddle sport in which two or four players use a smooth-faced paddle to hit a perforated, hollow plastic ball over a 34-inch-high (0.86 m) net until one side is unable to return the ball or commits a rule infraction.