The courts at the W.E.R. Joell Tennis Stadium were a hive of high-speed activity today as the third annual Kim Burns Memorial Pickleball Tournament got underway in spectacular fashion. With the largest field in the event’s history, the opening day delivered a masterclass in tactical precision and competitive spirit across multiple Women’s Doubles Divisions.
In the Women’s 3.0 Open Division, the pairing of Ni Suwari and Savira Wahy emerged as the dominant force of the morning. They opened their account with a hard-fought 11-7 victory over Kirsten Wademan and Ana Abend before following up with a commanding 11-4 win against Amanda Stewart and Cheria Morgan. Their clinical performance was mirrored in other early rounds, with Melanie Claude and Raveena Nayyar securing a swift 11-3 win, while Pamela Bardill and Amy Haynes fought through a tight encounter to defeat Wademan and Abend 11-7.
The 3.5 Open and 50+ A Division provided some of the day’s most intense rallies. Kelly Reeves and Fiona Donaldson laid down an early marker by edging out LaVerne Stowe and Cayla Cross in a 11-9 thriller. Meanwhile, the duo of Angie and Alexis Lodge demonstrated their chemistry with an 11-6 victory over Beckie Bart and Julie Matthew Borchardt. The momentum shifted in the second round, as Stowe and Cross bounced back with an 11-6 win of their own, though they could not prevent Reeves and Donaldson from repeating their success with another 11-6 triumph over the Lodge pairing.
In the 3.5 B Division, the podium battle was equally fierce. Pearl Ingram and Ivanne Demiar established themselves as the team to beat, navigating a tough bracket that included a standout 11-5 victory over Sarah Fox and Sue Chiappa. Earlier in the session, Fox and Chiappa had shown their own title credentials with a comprehensive 11-2 win over Natalie Chaves and Niamh Mac Namara.
As the sun began to set over the stadium, the first set of medals were presented to the day's top performers. In the 3.0 Open category, Ni Made Suwariani and Savira Qonital Wahyuning stood atop the podium to claim gold, with Wideman and Abend taking silver and the duo of Bardill and Hayes securing bronze. The 50+ age bracket in the same division saw Kerri McKittrick and Frances Kyrikos crowned champions, followed by Ruth Stovell and Angela Edwards.
The 3.5 Divisions saw Pearl Ingram and Ivanne Demiar celebrate gold in the Open category, fending off Sarah Fox and Sue Chiappa, who took home the silver, while Stowe and Cross secured a well-deserved bronze. In a busy day for Fox and Chiappa, the pair also claimed gold in the 3.5 50+ division, with Julie Matthews-Borchardt and Becky Bart finishing the day with silver medals. The tournament continues tomorrow with mixed doubles action expected to take center stage.
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