More great women’s doubles from four awesome players: Hilary, Yvonne, Luba and Che. The points are good to watch because you will see a wide variety of shots hit from soft to hard with lobs and overheads – great shot selections and some long rallies. I love seeing the hard battles at the net – exciting stuff! When watching all the TOC videos make sure you view all the way to the end because there they have fun interviews with the winners…. I asked the Gold medal winners to share their thoughts of the day and here is what they said:
Thoughts from Hilary Marold:
The 2014 Pickleball Tournament of Champions in Ogden, Utah absolutely goes down as one of my favorite spots to compete! The Gullo Grotto courts are beautiful in design and construction, only to be beat by the beauty of their surroundings! Of course, early September is a great time to be in Utah. My husband got to do what he loves best. No, not watch me, but fish the Ogden River and nearby reservoirs! I got to do what I love…catch up with all my PB buddies and play top notch Pickleball. Oh, did I mention there was also prize money, thanks to John Gullo’s American Dream Foundation! The money winnings were not the incentive that drew any of the competitors; this I know for sure! We all play for the love of the game.
I competed in the Legend’s women’s doubles, mixed doubles, and singles. Playing the two doubles events with longtime friends and partners is always a comforting feeling. I have known Mike Stahl from California and my time competing in paddle tennis there. Yvonne Hackenberg and I have known each other since competing on the platform tennis tour back East in the middle 70’s! Playing with them is easy and enjoyable. In all my events I had some matches against opponents who should have and could have beaten me/us, but we gutted it out, stayed positive, had fun, and ended up winning. Nothing better than being on the brink of defeat and accomplishing the opposite! Thank you to all the good sports, terrific friends, wonderful partners, and talented opponents I have in this fabulous sport of Pickleball!
Thoughts from Yvonne Hackenberg:
First, I want to thank John Gullo, Papa Jeff and the many volunteers. They brought the idea of a TOC to fruition. I also thank them for separating the 50+ crowd from the likes of Jennifer and Alex so that we had a chance to win 🙂
My thanks to Luba and Che for a match that featured exciting rallies and great sportsmanship. The two of you are a class act.
In doubles it takes two. It is always such a joy to take the court with Hilary as my partner. There is NEVER any kind of negativity on display. We fight the good fight and win or lose as a team. Our friendship and history in racquet sports goes back 35 years, and it has always been this way. Thank you Hilary for taking that leap of faith 6 years ago and agreeing to try pickleball.
……… Here is a fun photo of the winners of Doubles Legends and Masters – Girls Rule!
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