Much-anticipated Showdown begins
By Sean Rooney on July 27, 2018.
Medicine Hat News It’s the event the Medicine Hat pickleball community has waited all year for. The Nissan Showdown in the Hat begins today at the Strathcona Centre courts, going all the way through until Sunday’s events. Men’s doubles and women’s singles brackets will crown champions today, followed by mixed doubles Saturday and then men’s singles and women’s doubles Sunday. Tournament organizers estimate 90 players will take part, with entrants registered from as far away as Quebec. As expected however, the majority of players are from the host city. The sport has seen a huge surge of interest in recent years, with Hat players regularly competing in national-level events and faring well at regional multi-sport competitions. It’s typically thought of as a sport focusing on seniors due to the smaller courts and rackets and bigger balls than tennis, but the Hat community has seen a range of younger players get involved, too. 8-7
