Pickleball is literally the only “thing” I have ever come across that makes people WANT to hit their 50th birthday.
In the world before pickleball, reaching 50 was like the one you want to put off. But how pickleball changes things!
Now, for 49-year-olds, they count the days until they reach 50, knowing this milestone will give them the keys to the world of pickleball seniors tournaments. No longer will they have to play in 19+ and 35+ age categories trying to match the pace of players decades younger than them.
Enter the Tuff Seniors Classic Pickleball Tournament taking place in at Pickle Lah! Monkeys Canopy in Malaysia. The Tuff Seniors Classic Pickleball Tournament is a competition dedicated to seniors, which has the distinction of being the only tournament (as far as we can tell) to include an over 70s category.
the full roster of categories are as follows:
Mens Doubles 50+
Womens Doubles 50+
Mixed Doubles 50+
Mens Doubles 60+
Womens Doubles 60+
Any Gender Doubles 70+
“Seniors actually make up a large percentage of the pickleball playing community, so it only makes sense to have tournaments catering to this demographic. I know from my own friends that the 60+ crowd, rarely get a chance to compete in their own age group, so we addressed that with two 60+ categories, said Melina Hwang, Founder and Director of LinkedUp Asia, one of the leading pickleball event companies in the region, and the organiser of the Tuff Seniors Classic Pickleball Tournament.
On why LinkedUp Asia included a 70+ category, Melina explained: “We know that 70+ is not going to be an easy category to fill, but this tournament is not about commercial success; it’s about giving seniors a superb and enjoyable tournament experience. Even though we know we won’t have many competitors, it really does mean a lot to those 70+ people who play. For me, it will be the highlight of the tournament, and one of the teams has a player who is 79 years old, so who knows maybe next year we will add an 80+ category also!”
Tournaments like this can’t happen without generosity of sponsors as they would simply lose money without commercial support—and the Tuff Seniors Classic Pickleball Tournament is fortunate enough to have some very generous sponsors.
JARRYL Owner at TUFF was only too happy to jump in as Title Sponsor, explaining: “In recent times TUFF has embraced pickleball, not least by releasing our range of highly popular pickleball sports bags. It makes sense that we have visibility at pickleball events, but we have to be selective about which events we support. Getting behind this seniors event was a must for us. Our love of pickleball is underpinned by the incredible inclusivity of the sport, and that includes age inclusivity. I am very happy to support events that encourage older people to embrace and excel in this sport”
Other companies have also stepped up to support this first-of-its-kind event in Malaysia. Janet Teo is the CEO and Founder of Picklefox, one of Malaysia’s leading pickleball retailers, and she told Pickleball News Asia (PNA): “At Picklefox, we love seeing the game bring people together at every stage of life. Supporting the seniors is our way of celebrating the passion, friendships, and competitive spirit that make pickleball timeless”.
When it comes to watching the games, don’t think the seniors’ games are mundane or boring, according to Melina, who told PNA: “Some of the 50+ players regularly take on and beat teams in their 20s, and whilst the 70+ players may not quite be as fast around the court, when they get to the net their hand speed is still super-fast.”
DINKiT is one of Malaysia’s specialist pickleball trade distributors, and they carry multiple ranges. They are also sponsoring this event in several ways, including providing the official tournament ball: the Franklin X-40. Ruben Nah Co-Founder at DINKiT is also excited about getting behind this tournament, telling PNA: “Seniors (over 50 years) represent a significant portion of pickleball players and are often considered the core group of pickleball players in the United States where the game hails from. We would like to encourage more participation from our Malaysian seniors group and also give a second life to their sporting lifestyle. So, it’s good timing that a Seniors tournament is being organised and hence our support. ‘Majulah Sukan Untuk Negara’!”
The Tuff Seniors Classic Pickleball Tournament takes place at Pickle Lah! at Monkeys Canopy, who are the court sponsor for this event. Dato Adrian Lim, CEO at Monkeys Canopy and an avid pickleball player and big supporter of the sport felt coming in as the court sponsor made sense.
“We know that in the seniors category, many players combine pickleball with travel and staycations. We have the perfect venue to support that. Our courts are just one of the many feature attractions at our resort, which means after the games are over, players can take advantage of the wide range of facilities we offer here and many choose to stay for an overnight treat to wind down after their play.”
For Melina, she expects the Tuff Seniors Classic Pickleball Tournament to be the first of many seniors tournaments that her team will run. We feel that in pickleball, more than any other sport, the senior game is an integral part of the ecosystem. This tournament is just the beginning as we intend to build on this and ensure that as more seniors come into the game, we hope give them a platform to test themselves and have something to strive for into their 70s, 80s, and beyond.
