ATLANTIC CITY, NJ (September 28, 2022) – The growing sport of pickleball took center stage in Atlantic City as the 2022 Dietz & Watson Atlantic City Pickleball Open Presented by Total Pickleball debuted with the top professional and amateur players taking to the indoor courts while fans cheered from the grandstands.

The partnership with the Atlantic City Sports Commission came as parent company Pickleball Entertainment Consultants embarked on a strategic plan to produce a series of major indoor championships, with Atlantic City being the inaugural event. 

“We are so proud of everyone – our partners, our competitors, our sponsors and our volunteers – who made this inaugural event possible,” said Jim Ludwig, managing partner, Pickleball Entertainment Consultants, and founder of Pickleball for All. “To see our vision of 41 courts and a championship center court filled with players come to life is incredible. We are very thankful to our hosts in Atlantic City and look forward to bringing the Atlantic City Pickleball Open back in an even bigger and better fashion next year.”

“We couldn’t be more pleased with the turnout and production of the inaugural Atlantic City Pickleball Open,” stated Meet AC and Atlantic City Sports Commission President and CEO, Larry Sieg. “Our teams worked collectively and collaboratively to put on a world-class event. Pickleball is more than just a sport, it’s a community, and this week-long event proved just that.”

The weeklong tournament featured singles and doubles matches across a number of age and skill brackets. The top pro finishers were:

  • Men’s Pro Doubles: Gold -- Kyle Yates/Rob Cassidy 
  • Men’s Senior Pro Doubles: Gold -- Paul Olin/Mircea Morariu (shown at right)                                        
  • Men’s Pro Singles: Gold—Frank Anthony Davis         
  • Mixed Pro Doubles: Gold -- Monica Paolicelli/Kyle Yates                            
  • Mixed Senior Pro Doubles: Gold -- Jenny Klitch/Mircea Morariu                             
  • Women’s Pro Doubles: Gold -- Alix Truong/Monica Paolicelli                                   
  • Women’s Pro Singles: Gold – Heather Nobler
  • Women’s Senior Pro Doubles: Gold -- Eva Welsher/Jenny Klitch                              
  • Women’s Senior Pro Singles: Gold – Jenny Klitch      

Full tournament results are available here.

One inspiring match from the event was the gold-medal victory by AJ Marrero (14) and MJ Marrero (10) in the Men’s Doubles Skill/Age 3.5:19+ bracket – over two players twice their age. The boys proved that size and strength are no match for strategy and finesse – and an eye-level view of the net.                                          

“It was an incredible event for an inaugural tournament,” said Kyle Yates, pickleball professional and member of Pickleball Entertainment Consultants. “Being on the management side of an event for the first time gives you a whole new perspective, particularly when you’re competing in the event, too. I wanted to take a ‘hands-on’ approach to make it the best event for players. We learned a lot at this event and are ready to put on an even better pickleball tournament in Atlantic City next year.”

For more information about the Dietz & Watson Atlantic City Pickleball Open, visit  https://atlanticcitypickleballopen.com.

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About Dietz & Watson
Founded in 1939 by Gottlieb Dietz, and still family-owned and operated today, Dietz & Watson remains true to their original old-world recipes and Gottlieb’s commitment to “quality above all else.” Creating the freshest and leanest beef, ham, pork, turkey breast and chicken breast, Dietz & Watson’s offerings are enhanced only with all-natural spices and seasonings for optimum flavor profiles. All Dietz & Watson deli meats and cheeses are free of artificial flavors, colors, fillers, extenders and MSG. Headquartered in Philadelphia, Dietz & Watson continues their tradition of family commitment and to leading the industry in the crafting of the world’s best premium deli meats and artisan cheeses. The company is led by founder Gottlieb Dietz’ grandchildren, Louis Eni (President and CEO), Chris Eni (COO) and Cindy Eni Yingling (CFO). Today, the fourth generation of the family, Lauren Eni, Christopher Yingling, Michael Eni, Tim Yingling and Greg Yingling, have joined the company to carry the tradition further. Learn more at www.DietzAndWatson.com. 

About the Atlantic City Sports Commission
The Atlantic City Sports Commission was officially formed on January 13, 2015 as a 501 (c)(3) organization with the support of Meet AC and the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) to attract sporting events, conventions and competitions to Atlantic City. For more information, visit www.atlanticcitysports.org. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About Pickleball Entertainment Consultants
Pickleball Entertainment Consultants is focused on bringing world-class pickleball tournaments to major staycation markets. The Atlantic City Pickleball Open is the first event of a strategic plan to grow the sport and deliver exceptional experiences for competitors, fans, and corporate partners. Founded by Jim Ludwig, Kyle Yates, and Randall Sussman, PEC is embarking on creating a tour of events that will provide exceptional, consistent, and weatherproof environments to ensure the competitors' skills and abilities are truly what decides the championship