Hope joined the Queensland Pickleball tour for its Hervey Bay tournament on August 15 to 17 and walked away with two gold medals.
Alongside partner Kath Daly, Hope took out the 60+ mixed doubles (skill 3.5-3.99) while also earning an individual accolade, grabbing gold in the 60+ men’s singles (skill 3.0-3.49).
Hope won all five of his group matches convincingly in first-to-11 contests, before rolling through his first-to-15 semi-final 15-3.
He claimed the best-of-three final in straight games, 11-3, 11-6.
The mixed doubles pairing of Hope and Daly was also rarely troubled, no opponent scoring more than five against the duo in the rounds before they secured the title 11-7, 11-8.
Along with Hope’s recent pickleball success, he has claimed the past two Campaspe Tennis Association male aggregate titles in section one, and is also a quality table tennis player.
Hope is one of the foundation members of the Echuca Moama Pickleball Club, which formed last month.
Before that, he took up the sport with the Pickleball Power program, run by Wayne Muschialli, which holds sessions around the local region.
Hope gave credit to hitting partner Muschialli and the Bendigo Pickleball Club for helping him prepare for the Hervey Bay tournament.
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