We asked some of our friends in pickleball to reveal their biggest wish for the sport next year…
Thaddea Lock: To have a new experience and do something in the pickleball space that I’ve never done before.
Lou Stephens: That our Junior program flourishes and more kids take up the game. The future is in their hands x
Julie Mac: That I can continue to support the Deaf community so as they can have their very own English Open in 2026 to showcase the skill and growth of pickleball in the Deaf community.
Millie Smythe: I hope that recycling pickleballs becomes the norm for the sport, rather than just chucking them in the bin!
Jack Munro: Continued growth. More international stops, more international exposure and more opportunities to build my brand overseas. I want to take the sport with me around the world and keep expanding its global presence.
Abby Fung: To become a Nationals champion.
Nathan Hill: The success of our new dedicated facility The Pickleball Shed in York, come visit us, everyone welcome.
Harry Feast: I hope there’s more singles tournaments in the UK. There’s loads in other countries, but they’re really expensive. It’d be nice to have more in the UK – I really enjoy playing singles and it’d be nice to do that competitively a bit more.
Domenika Turkovic: To travel to Australia and Asia to play a few tournaments. And to compete at the RTA in my home country, Croatia.
Nathan Parker: Inter club leagues in Wales. Two different leagues are starting early 2026 in Wales and this is something many players have been crying out for and I for one cannot wait to be involved and see everyone develop through these opportunities. Credit to everybody involved in this mammoth task.
Natasha-Lara Hood: To see more women and girls in pickleball regularly playing and competing (and hit Rhodri Oliver some more).
Anna Linton: To continue to build pickleball centres around the country so more people can play and play more regularly, particularly in Norwich – we haven’t got a pickleball centre yet and we’d love to have some dedicated courts.
Rhodri Oliver: 2026 should bring some nearby indoor courts dedicated to pickleball for me to play on whenever I like!
Flynn Crosthwaite: Partner up with Jack Macgregor again!
I really enjoy reading the content in Pickleball England 52. It brightens my day to read the growth, development and enthusiasm for the game around the UK and overseas. We are a growing group of enthusiastic pickleball players trying to persuade our local tennis club to adopt pickleball. But there seems to be concern that PB will take over the tennis. Although this is not our aim. We just want to play PB on three of their underused hard courts which we’ve offered to mark up and maintain. Any suggestions from your readers as to how we can show the ‘committee’of tennis players that it will enhance the club and get the general public interested in getting fit, having fun and add to the spirit of cooperation. Tennis is a great game. Nothing will dilute it’s established place in sports history. But there always room for fun. And PB is fun can be affordable for all the family.