Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Come June, Springfield will be a place where amateur pickleball players have an opportunity to go pro. The inaugural season of the Professional Pickleball Association‘s Challenger Series will make a stop in the capital city for the Route 66 PPA Challenger Powered by JOOLA on June 13. The event will be held at the Premier Pickleball Center, located at 3400 Constitution Dr.
The PPA Tour Challenger Series provides an opportunity for amateur pickleball players to break into professional pickleball and earn a spot on the Carvana PPA Tour. The Springfield stop will be one of over a dozen tour stops in 2025.
“We have been excited to create more grassroots opportunities for amateur players, as well as a structured pathway to the Carvana PPA Tour for aspiring professionals, for a long time. We have achieved this with the Challenger Series Powered by JOOLA,” says Connor Pardoe, the Founder & CEO of the Carvana PPA Tour.
According to the PPA, the estimated economic impact of this event on the Springfield community is over $240,000. Between 300 and 700 players are expected to participate.
Information on registration is available at www.ppatour.com. Events include men’s and women’s singles, gender doubles, and mixed doubles. Championship court action will be streamed live on the new Tennis Channel App and the PPA Tour YouTube Channel.
