A Swindon pickleball player featured at the English Open during an historic week for the sport.
Mark Titchener, 53, featured at the largest pickleball event taking place outside of North America, held at the Telford International Centre from August 8-14.
He joined almost 2,000 players, ranging in age from seven to over 70, from 42 countries in the tournament.
The high participation numbers reflect the sport's recent growth and ambition to be included in the Olympic programme.
Titchener said: "I played badminton for 30 years, I was a county badminton player and retired from it two years ago and just saw pickleball was taking off in the States.
“I just thought that looked interesting and I joined the local club near Swindon when I started playing last June."
His first tournament experience was last year's English Open, followed by the Nationals in Bolton in October.
He said he did "Ok" in Bolton and has "just got the bug for it now".
He continued: "Smashing is certainly something you can bring over from badminton, I’m very wristy as a badminton player and that helps.
"I’m probably not so good at driving the ball and some of the longer, passing shots, but I’m learning those.
“That’s more of a tennis shot, I think, and I don’t have many of those in my repertoire.”
This year's English Open offered seven days of intense competition with the world's top professionals from America, Europe, and Asia challenging each other in singles, doubles, mixed, wheelchair and junior events.
Combining elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis, the sport’s popularity has been attributed to its accessibility.
It can be played both indoors and outdoors on a badminton-sized court and a slightly modified tennis net.
Two or four players use solid paddles made of wood or composite materials to hit a perforated polymer ball over a net.
Many have found it to be easy to pick up and fun to play, and its accessibility provides universal appeal.
Titchener added: "I think it’s great you can come into this sport with a badminton background, tennis background, table tennis background, even a bit of squash."
Pickleball England has announced a record number of players competing at this year’s English Open from August 8-14 at the Telford International Centre in the largest pickleball event taking place outside of the USA ever.
More information is available on pickleballengland.org.
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