Alan Parfitt played a starring role at a record-breaking Skechers Pickleball English OPEN, just five years on from discovering the sport through YouTube.

Primary school teacher Parfitt, 53, featured in the English Open at the Telford International Centre – the largest pickleball event taking place outside of North America.

With ages from 7 to 70+ competing, the event is reflective of the incredible growth in pickleball over recent years, with a record number of almost 2,000 players from 42 countries participating in a sport which has aspirations of making the Olympic programme.

“I first played in my English Open four or five months after I started playing up in Nottingham and I’d really got the bug by then. I just loved it,” said Epsom's Parfitt.

“I can’t believe how big this event has become.

“I’d never previously played on a pickleball court with the dedicated markings, so it’s been an amazing experience – kind of how you imagine it is out in the States.”

This year’s English OPEN comprised seven days of high-level competition, with the world’s top professionals from America, Europe and Asia taking to the court in singles, doubles, mixed, wheelchair and junior events.

A hybrid of tennis, badminton & table tennis, the sport’s popularity has been attributed to its accessibility. Easy to pick up and fun to play, the sport’s accessibility transcends demographics, providing it with universal appeal.

“I got into it through a tennis YouTube feed about five years ago and then pickleball just came up out of the blue,” added Parfitt.

“I’d never heard of it before and I watched a couple of profiles of the game from the States, and the more I watched it I thought ‘I think I can actually play this game.’

“I hadn’t played tennis at any real level, apart from recreation, for probably 20 years prior to that and I was just looking for something to do.”

Pickleball England has announced a record number of players competing at this year’s English OPEN from the 8th-14th August at the Telford International Centre in the largest pickleball event taking place outside of the USA EVER – visit pickleballengland.org