The European Pickleball Championship took place in Rome, Italy, from September 19 to 21, 2025, and Prague Pickleball Club (PPC) was proud to see four of its top players there, representing the Czech Republic and Slovakia. With 30 countries in attendance, the championship, organized by the European Pickleball Federation, featured tough competition and wonderful camaraderie.
PPC players in attendance included Rado Petrišin and Jan Dvořáček (representing Slovakia) and Kristyna Diewokova and Vlaďka Šedá (representing the Czech Republic). Here is a recap of the exciting trip, as told by two of the players in their own words:
From Rado Petrišin:
“I had the honor of wearing the Slovak jersey and stepping onto the court against Europe’s top players. The whole thing was played at Foro Italico – a sports complex built by Mussolini (pretty sure he never imagined pickleball being played there one day). The main stage was the legendary Stadio dei Marmi, surrounded by sixty giant marble statues of ancient athletes. Let me tell you, when you’re being “watched” by a bunch of ripped stone guys, you really don’t want to hit the ball into the net.
As for the matches, even though we were just a small team, we definitely didn’t come to Rome just for pizza and sightseeing. We fought hard in our groups and kept the suspense alive right up to the very last match. The competition was world-class, and we ended up in the first non-qualifying position. But I’m still proud of how we played and of showing that pickleball is alive and kicking in Slovakia – and that we’re definitely not anyone’s punching bags.
Overall, it was an amazing sports and cultural experience. We met players from over thirty countries, practiced our Italian (“due espresso, per favore!”), and took home a solid dose of motivation. No, we didn’t bring back a medal, but we did bring back tons of memories, new friendships, and fresh energy for training. And next time? Next time, those marble statues at Stadio dei Marmi will be clapping for us!”
From Kristyna Diewokova:
“It was quite an amazing experience which surpassed my expectations, both from a sports and cultural perspective. We had the opportunity to play with a great variety of players from over 12 countries. It was great to meet the teams – some countries, such as England, Spain, or the home team, Italy, had very large (and strong) representation, while some smaller countries only played in some, but not all, categories. The levels varied, and it was quickly clear that some countries had a head start in playing pickleball. The Czech Republic was represented in all categories.
I was quite impressed by the organization and the large number of volunteers. For example, on Saturday morning, the matches were supposed to start at 8 a.m., but the morning dew made the courts under a night protective cover very wet. The organizers immediately took vacuum cleaners and cleaned the courts. The delay was soon caught up thanks to the relentless effort of organizers.
The tournament was not without its challenges. Some, in particular, were the extreme heat as well as adjusting to the presence of referees during the matches. I had never played with a referee, and, in the beginning, I lost two points for serving before the referee called the score. The matches were also played until 11 points with a difference of only one point, which was something new for us.
Outside of the tournament, it was lovely to venture into the historical center of Rome almost every day. We borrowed Lime bikes, which allowed us to cover a much larger territory – from the Colosseum through Capitol Hill, the Bocca della Verità, the Vatican, all the way to Trastevere! I was even stopped by a policeman while making a video while biking. Luckily, I escaped with a warning!”
Prague Pickleball Club extends a huge congratulations to Rado Petrišin, Jan Dvořáček, Kristyna Diewokova, and Vlaďka Šedá for their participation at the European Pickleball Championship! We look forward to seeing PPC members continue to represent and excel on both a local and international level!
