Visit ohioopenpickleball.com for full details and updates.

The first annual Ohio Open Pickleball Championships will be held August 13–17 in Canton, OH, where champions play and community connects!

Adults Division (August 15–17 – Mostly Outdoors):

Adult play begins Friday with singles competition, followed by gender doubles on Saturday, and mixed doubles on Sunday. All matches start at 8:30 AM. A round robin format will be used, with brackets of 8 players or teams, and possibly up to 16 depending on entries. Some age groups may be combined to ensure more matches. In the event of rain / inclement weather, two indoor facilities will be available to accommodate adult play.

Juniors Division (August 13–14 – Indoors):

Junior players will compete indoors at two nearby facilities. Ages 10 and 12 will play at Dink Shots on Wales Road, while ages 14 and 16 will compete at Hot Shots on Promway Road. Both locations are a short drive from the main venue. Juniors singles matches will take place on Wednesday, beginning at 11:00 AM. Doubles matches will be held Thursday, also starting at 11:00 AM.

NFL Alumni Special Events:

Matches featuring former NFL players will take place indoors at Hot Shots. Events are open to players ages 40 and over, and 60 and over, at all skill levels. On Friday evening, singles matches will be held. Saturday evening features NFL Player Men's doubles, as well as Women's 4.5 doubles. Sunday concludes with NFL Player mixed doubles and Men's 4.5 doubles. If a participant needs a partner, a 4.0-level female partner will be assigned for mixed play.

Fun Day Highlights (August 14 starting at 4:00 PM):

Two family-friendly events will be held Thursday evening during the Fun Day celebration. A hybrid wheelchair doubles event for players rated 3.5 and above will take place at Stadium Park. At the same time, a Parent or Grandparent & Child Doubles event will also be available for adults of any skill level paired with a child age 12 or under at Stadium Park.

Locations:

Adult Events: Stadium Park, Canton, OH

Juniors Events: Dink Shots & Hot Shots

Special Events: Hot Shots

Fun Day: Stadium Park, Canton, OH

Player Gifts:

All adult participants will receive an official Ohio Open logo hat or visor, a tournament player towel, and a free second attempt in the Ohio Open Serve Contest. Junior players will receive a logo hat, an event t-shirt, and also a free second try in the all-ages serve contest.

Awards and Jackets:

Gold, silver, and bronze medals will be awarded to the top three finishers in each event. In addition, all adult gold medal winners will receive the exclusive Ohio Open Champion Jacket. This jacket is a one-time lifetime award and symbolizes top-tier achievement in the tournament. Full award details are available on the official website ohioopenpickleball.com

Serve Contest:

The Ohio Open Serve Contest is open to players and spectators of all ages and skill levels. The contest will take place on August 13 and 14 from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM, and during the mornings of August 15 through 17 from 7:00 AM to 8:00 AM. Each participant may enter up to three times, with three serves from each side per attempt. The challenge focuses on depth and accuracy, with points awarded based on target placement and bonus points given for hitting a can of X-40 balls near the baseline. A perfect score is 60 points, and a score around 42 is typically expected to win.

Cash prizes depend on the number of total entries. The first-place prize will not exceed $1,000, and prizes will be awarded to the top seven contestants. Additional information and entry rules can be found on the tournament website ohioopenpickleball.com

Singles Champion Trophy:

A special honor will be awarded to the top-performing adult men’s and women’s singles champions, ages 17 to 49, at level 4.0 and above. Their names will be permanently engraved on the Ohio Open Singles Champion Trophy, which will be displayed in Canton, Ohio. These winners will also receive a gold medal and the Ohio Open Jacket as part of their achievement.

All players may withdraw by 12:00 AM on July 30 to receive a refund, minus processing fees.

In the event of rain, every effort will be made to reschedule matches under the lights or at one of two designated indoor clubs.

Emergency community services are located just 5 minutes from the venue, with two hospitals within an 8-minute drive. Ice and basic medical assistance will be available on-site.