Takeley furniture sprayer Nathan Walsh wins two medals at 2025 Knotty’s English National pickleball tournament

Nathan Walsh returned from the 2025 Knotty’s English National pickleball tournament with two medals.

The 34-year-old, from Takeley, won mixed doubles silver with Zoe Warrender in the 4.0 15+ category, having partnered Thomas Power to bronze in the men’s doubles at Bolton Arena.

For Walsh, it served as redemption from a disappointing display in the same tournament last year.

“This is my second experience of the English Nationals. Last year was a disaster, but this one was a lot better,” the furniture sprayer said.

“[Last year] just didn’t go that well. You need to practice on the surface you are going to be playing on and with the same balls so you can judge the speed of it and everything, and that is what we weren’t doing.

“It is really good to come back and win a medal. We’ve practiced really hard for this.

“There has been a lot of adrenaline and shaky hands, particularly when you get to 14 and match point. I even missed a serve on match point and I don’t really miss serves!

“But now I am calm and it has been a really good event.”

Pickleball, which developed as a backyard game in the US in the 1960s, is named after the pickle boat in rowing, which sees spare rowers from different teams form a crew.

The name reflects the sport, which has borrowed from other racket sports as it is played on a badminton doubles-sized court and features playing styles seen in tennis and table tennis.

The game is played with a solid paddle and a perforated plastic ball, while players can only score points on their serve.

Rising in popularity in the US for the past few decades, interest has exploded across the world, with Pickleball England now boasting more than 15,000 registered members.

Like many other players, Walsh swapped tennis for pickleball, having first seen the game being played at his gym.

“I got into pickleball from guys at my gym,” he said. “I used to play tennis, but I kept getting injured. I saw the blokes at the gym playing and said, ‘if you need another partner, let me know’.

“I got a paddle and have been addicted ever since and that was a year-and-a-half ago now.

“It is so addictive - it is the fitness, it is the atmosphere, it is brilliant.”

Pickleball England had a record number of players at the 2025 Knotty’s English Nationals. The tournament took place from 30 October to November 2 at Bolton Arena. For more information, see www.pickleballengland.org.