Pickleball fever is about to overtake Kalamazoo. Well, that may be overstating it, but the 4th annual Pickleball Fever in the Zoo tournament is coming to Wings Events Center, July 20-23rd. And it's free.The tournament is hosting over 400 of the best pickleball players in the country.

Several of these players have won gold medals at the USAPA Nationals, U.S. Open Pickleball Championships, and tournaments throughout the country. The tournament will begin on Thursday, July 20 at noon with Men’s & Women’s Doubles in the 60+ Skill/Age brackets.  Women’s Skill/Age Doubles and Men’s Skill/Age Singles will be played Friday, July 21; Mixed Skill/Age Doubles will be held Saturday, July 22; and Men's Skill/Age Doubles and Women’s Skill/Age Singles will take place on Sunday, July 23. Start time on Friday, Saturday & Sunday is 8 a.m.

According to the local promoters, Pickleball was invented in 1965 in the state of Washington.  Pickleball is played on a court with the same dimensions as a badminton court.  Players use a paddle and hit a whiffle type ball. The game is a combination of tennis, table tennis, and badminton.

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