2021 Cincinnati Pickleball Open

These two blog posts are about the times that professional pickleball tours started coming to Cincinnati, Ohio.

May 2021: For the second time in the last eight months, my “home” courts in Middletown, OH played host to a stop on the APP Tour – the Cincinnati Pickleball Open.

From May 13-16, 2021, approximately 600 players – both amateurs and professionals ($35,000 purse) – descended upon the 18-court-venue at Lefferson Park and battled for APP Tour pickleball supremacy.

Hosted by professional players, Michelle Esquivel and Jay Devilliers, the Cincinnati Pickleball Open did not disappoint.  If you ever have the chance to compete, spectate or volunteer at a tournament near you, I highly recommend it.

Although I didn’t play, it was a blast watching my students compete – some for their first time.  It was also fun “rubbing elbows” with some of the best players in the world and watching them perfect their craft.

Here is a video recap shared by APP CEO, Ken Herrmann.  Hope you enjoy.

The PPA Tour is Coming to Cincinnati (Mason, OH) in September, 2022!

Not to be outdone by the APP, the PPA just announced that they will be coming to the Linder Family Tennis Center in Mason, OH in September, 2022 – the same venue that annually (every August) hosts the Western & Southern Open Tennis Tournament – the second largest summer tennis event in the United States after the U.S. Open!

Shown below is the “official” announcement from the Pro Pickleball Association (PPA) Facebook page.  I am so excited!

The APP vs. the PPA – What’s the Difference?

I alluded to two different organizations in this blog post – the APP and the PPA.  Both the APP and the PPA are professional pickleball tours. Please click here for a detailed breakdown of the differences in each tour.

On behalf of the entire Greater Cincinnati area, thank you to both the APP and the PPA for coming to this area – an area that is absolutely exploding with new pickleball players each-and-every day!

See you on the courts!

2020 APP Pickleball Tour Stop — Cincinnati, Ohio

October 202: Originally slated for June 2020, the Cincinnati stop on the APP tour was delayed and postponed to October 9-11, 2020 because of COVID-19. While not open to the public, my “home” courts in Middletown, OH (approximately 30 miles north of Cincinnati) played host to professionals ($25,000 purse) and amateurs alike over the course of 3 beautiful, autumn days in mid-October. Here are the video streams of all the professional events in case you missed any. Word has it that the APP will be returning in May 2021. Hope to see you then!

APP Cincinnati Open: Pro Mixed Doubles

Note: The GOLD MEDAL match for mixed doubles begins at 5:28:00.

APP Cincinnati Open: Pro Men’s and Women’s Doubles

Note: The GOLD MEDAL match for men’s doubles begins at 6:36:00.

APP Cincinnati Open: Pro Women’s Doubles Gold Medal Match

APP Cincinnati Open: Pro Men’s and Women’s Singles

Note: The GOLD MEDAL match for men’s singles begins at 6:40:00 and the GOLD MEDAL match for women’s singles begins at 7:42:00.