World Team Pickleball is an organization founded by veteran athlete Laura Fenton. A winner of four US Open Pickleball titles, Fenton’s conceptualization of World Team Pickleball has earned the tag of being the pinnacle of team pickleball.
The World Team Pickleball organized shootouts, leagues and tournaments. The premier tournament is called the World Team Pickleball Championships. The format of a shootout is pretty straightforward. A team of 4 can register or individuals can also register, who eventually will become a part of a team. Competitive play of four hours ensues where teams are never knocked out. They keep playing even if they lose, thus the name shootout.
Tournament play includes skill-based play. Pickleball players who register must have a skill rating between 3.0 to 5.0. A team of four, comprising of two men and two women register for the tournament. The tournament is played for two days. Each match is played in a best of three set format.
Teams are grouped in divisions based on age or skill ratings. On the first day, a men’s doubles and a women’s doubles match is played simultaneously on two different courts. On the next day, two mixed doubles matches are played on two different courts. All matches are completed within a four-hour time frame.
Winners are determined based on the number of courts won by each team. In case of a tie, the fewest number of games lost determines the winner. If there is still a tie, then the maximum points won by a team is declared the winner. If a tie persists, then a mixed doubles match of 15 points will be the decider. Winners are given pre-qualified registrations to World Team Pickleball Championships.
The World Team Pickleball also hosts clinics and camps for amateur players and fans of the sport.
