Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley loves to play pickleball, a hybrid of tennis, ping-pong and badminton. To celebrate the International Pickleball Federation’s first World Pickleball Day, the city is hosting a Mayor’s Cup pickleball tournament which will be played at three locations in downtown Annapolis. Courts will be set up at 9am in the following locations :

Two courts will be set up at Susan Campbell Park at the end of City Dock;

Four courts will be set up on the top level of Hillman Parking Garage; and

Two courts will be set up in the Recovery Zone on West Street.

The competition is expected to last until 1pm on every court. A demonstration match will be given on West Street around 3pm.

“We want to not only showcase how fun pickleball is for people of all ages and abilities,” said Mayor Buckley. “We want to bring the game to people in popular places.”

Sara Aiken, Annapolis’ official pickleball ambassador, said that enthusiasts of the game wanted to do the Mayor’s Cup, even with the restrictions that COVID put on public gatherings.

“Doing this event in a physically-distanced, socially-responsible way helps us spread our love of the sport without spreading coronavirus,” Aiken said. “We hope people come out to enjoy watching a game, and get interested in giving it a try through lessons with the Annapolis Pickleball Club. Pickleball was invented in America, so showcasing our tournament with 25 other countries around the world makes this a historical event.”