Pickleball Magazine 1-6 | Page 15

ROZPEDSKI

PLAYER PROFILE

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NATIONAL SINGLES

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As the sport of pickleball sweeps the nation , grabbing up youth and high-level tennis competition , Marcin Rozpedski , at age 41 , still stands out as the best singles player in the game .

Earlier this year , Rozpedski took gold at the first-ever U . S . Open Pickleball Championships in Naples , Florida . Last month , however , he retained the sport ’ s biggest trophy , taking the singles gold medal at the 2016 National Championships in Casa Grande , Arizona .
Born in Warsaw , Poland , Rozpedski moved to the United States when he was 14 with the dream of being the numberone tennis player in the world . By the time he was 18 , he won the Polish National Championship and became number one in Poland , eventually competing in the Davis Cup for Poland as well as in the Wimbledon , French and U . S . Open junior tournaments . Rozpedski ’ s highest ATP singles ranking was 273rd in the world and 250th in doubles .
Rozpedski began playing pickleball two-and-a-half years ago when a few of his tennis friends — who are also tennis pros — invited him to play .
“ At first I thought it was so easy , but then I realized there ’ s a lot more than just blasting hard balls at each other ,” he recalled . Last year , Rozpedski entered the National Championships singles competition and ran through the field , defeating Daniel Moore in the finals . Earlier this year , he traveled to Naples and took the inaugural U . S . Open tournament by storm , winning the singles .
“ I have played at the U . S . Open in New York as a professional tennis player , so the name U . S . Open Pickleball reminded me of the Grand Slam tennis tournament . The Pickleball U . S . Open championship was a dream come true . After the last point I
broke down in tears — that ’ s how important it was for me to win the title .”
In November , Rozpedski returned to action at the National Championships , facing the deepest singles competition draw that pickleball has ever seen . With young players such as Kyle Yates , Daniel Moore and Tyson McGuffin , the big question was whether Rozpedski could hold on . In the end , he overcame a close match with McGuffin to take the title .
Rozpedski explained , “ Being the National Champion is the highest pickleball honor — especially when the competition is getting better and younger . The game has become much more physical due to the number of tennis players participating . I hope that the public will continue to come out to support the singles as much as the doubles events .”
Pickleball is a family affair for the Rozpedskis , who live in Bermuda Dunes , California . “ My wife , Carly , started playing about three months ago and is having a blast ,” he says . His 16-year-old son , Christian , won the silver medal in singles and bronze in doubles with his partner , Chad Hamner , at his second pickleball tournament ever played . His younger sons , Charley and Chance , also enjoy the game .
Marcin Rozpedski is the sports director at The Lakes Country Club in Palm Desert , California . He has also been Head Pro at the Ritz Carlton Hotel and the Indian Ridge Country Club . On the coaching side , he has been the Head Tennis Coach for the College of the Desert and has traveled with Ana Ivanovic as she won tennis ’ French Open Championship as well as serving as the hitting partner for Victoria Azarenka as she became number one in the world in tennis . •
DECEMBER 2016 | MAGAZINE 13