On championship March 29, at Black Desert Resort, music echoed across the courts, fans packed the grandstands, and pickleball’s biggest stars battled under the southern Utah sun.
What unfolded over the weekend was more than another stop on the Professional Pickleball Association Tour. It was a declaration that St. George has firmly established itself as one of the premier pickleball destinations in the country.
The Greater Zion Cup marked the first professional pickleball tournament ever held at Black Desert’s brand-new pickleball complex — a venue completed just in time for its national debut.
According to Black Desert Resort managing partner Patrick Manning, the courts had not seen a single match before the PPA arrived.
“The very first pickleball that hit those courts was during this tournament,” Manning said. “There was no soft opening. The team pulled off something that felt almost impossible.”
That last-minute push mirrored the rapid rise of pickleball itself, a sport that has exploded in popularity nationwide and found an ideal home in southern Utah’s climate, scenery and active community.
Once play began, the Greater Zion Cup delivered elite competition across every division. In mixed doubles, Anna Leigh Waters and Ben Johns claimed gold over Anna Bright and Hayden Patriquin. Waters continued a dominant weekend by sweeping women’s doubles alongside Bright against Parris Todd and Kate Fahey, then added a women’s singles title by defeating Fahey in the finals.
Johns earned another championship in men’s doubles with partner Gabriel Tardio after a five-game battle against Patriquin and Christian Alshon, while Christopher Haworth capped the weekend by winning the men’s singles final over Federico Staksrud.
While the high-level play was expected, the atmosphere surrounding the matches stood out just as much. Manning believes pickleball offers something different from traditional sporting events.
“The vibe was electric,” he said. “It was loud, it was energetic and it felt different from traditional golf events that we host here. Pickleball brings music, emotion and fans who are really engaged. It creates a completely different experience.”
That energy resonated with players and spectators alike, but the Greater Zion Cup was not an overnight success story. Pickleball has been deeply rooted in St. George for years, with public courts across the city consistently busy and players ranging from retirees to college students sharing the same space.
Matt Liggett, co-host of the “Poachers Pickleball Podcast,” attended the event in person and said the tournament reflected what locals have long known about the area.
“I thought the atmosphere was fantastic,” Liggett said. “Saturday and Sunday especially, being there all day, it felt like a real event — energetic, packed, and fun to be a part of.”
Liggett pointed to Black Desert’s purpose-built design as a major strength, particularly the championship court.
“The center court is built specifically for pickleball, and you’re so much closer to the action than at other venues,” he said. “For a championship court, it’s the best setup I’ve been to.”
Even with portions of the resort still under construction and challenges like limited shade during a hot weekend, Liggett said the tournament succeeded where it mattered most.
“It wasn’t finished yet, but overall the setup was really good,” he said. “You could tell it’s only going to get better moving forward.”
That same momentum is evident at the collegiate level, where the Utah Tech Pickleball Club team has emerged as a national powerhouse. The program recently captured a world championship, a remarkable achievement for a club sport.
Brinley Horton, president of the Utah Tech Pickleball Club, said the team’s rise reflects the broader growth of the sport.
“What used to be a social club has turned into a competitive pathway,” Horton, a sophomore recreation and sport management major from Sandy, said. “College pickleball has become a ladder toward professional play, and being in St. George gives us a huge advantage.”
Horton explained that the team now competes at elite tournaments across the country, sending four-player squads to national events. Increased exposure, sponsorships and success have followed.
“We’ve gone from winning regional events to national titles, and now a world championship,” Horton said. “That doesn’t happen without access to great courts, strong competition and a community that supports the sport.”
For Utah Tech players, having the PPA Tour come to their backyard carried extra significance.
“Seeing the pros compete here shows that St. George belongs on the pickleball map,” Horton said. “It motivates our players and shows what’s possible.”
For Black Desert Resort, hosting professional pickleball is only the beginning. Manning sees the sport as a key piece of the resort’s long-term vision.
“We’re building something that’s vibrant,” Manning said. “Pickleball adds energy and leisure to the resort in a way that complements golf and other events.”
He believes pickleball’s accessibility and fast-paced nature make it ideal for both fans and participants — and a powerful driver of tourism.
“We’re already getting interest from people who saw the broadcast and want to come play here,” Manning said. “That kind of exposure puts St. George on a national and international stage.”
From packed public courts to world champion college athletes and sold-out professional matches, pickleball’s rise in St. George has been anything but accidental. The sport has aligned perfectly with the region’s lifestyle, climate, and willingness to invest in world-class facilities.
As the PPA Tour moves on and the courts at Black Desert remain, one thing is clear: pickleball in southern Utah is no longer emerging — it has arrived.
And if the Greater Zion Cup was any indication, St. George is just getting started.
This article was originally written for Utah Tech’s student newspaper, Sun News Daily.
