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April 2, 2024

John Schwan, of Sun City, will compete in the US Open Pickleball Championships in Florida.
Steve Peterson
John Schwan, of Sun City, will compete in the US Open Pickleball Championships in Florida.

Features, Sports, Sun City • April 2, 2024

Sun City pickleball player heads to nationals

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HUNTLEY — A local pickleball enthusiast will begin his 2024 season competing against the best.

John Schwan of Sun City  has qualified for the Minto US Open Pickleball Championships which will take place in Naples, Florida, April 13-20. A record 3,000 amateur and professional pickleball players will compete in the “most prestigious pickleball tournament in the world,” according to a press release statement.

Schwan, 75, will compete in the men’s age 75 to 80 age bracket in singles. He has been playing pickleball at the Sun City Pickleball Charter Club for three years.

“I’ve been trying to qualify for three years for nationals,” Schwan said. “I have a rating of 4.0 and plus my age I qualified. I started playing when I was living in Maui, Hawaii during COVID-19. I was happy there was so much interest in the sport here in Sun City.”

Schwan and his doubles partner, Steve DeMaris of Sun City, had a successful season last year, winning the state doubles pickleball championship in Springfield.

The US Open Pickleball Championship has a $150,000 pro prize purse and a record number of players. It is known as “The Biggest Pickleball Party in the World” and 40,000 spectators are expected, according to organizers.

Schwan anticipates the competition will be tough at the US Open. Qualifiers may compete in up to five rounds of the double elimination format.

“I’m happy to qualify, the rest would be gravy,” Schwan said. “I am looking forward to giving it my all on the court in Naples, Florida.”

The event will be streamed daily on The Pickleball Channel, with the men’s and women’s pro action broadcast live on CBS Sports Network on April 19 from 3 to 6 p.m. CT. The broadcast on April 20 will be from 4 to 8 p.m. CT.

“Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the country. A recent study indicated more than 36 million people had played the sport. People come to the US Open from all 50 states, and from 29 countries around the world. The Open is a unique combination of camaraderie that cannot be found at any other sport,” according to a US Open Pickleball Championship press release statement.

In early May, Schwan will return to begin play in the Sun City Pickleball Charter Club, with hopefully some great stories to share.