New Jersey State Open Pickleball tournament: This weekend, Hamilton will host the New Jersey State Open, anticipated as the largest-ever amateur pickleball tournament in the state, gathering over 800 players from seven states, spanning ages 8 to 80.
Childhood friends Aaron Reznik and Matt Slowinski from Montclair, first bonded over tennis in middle school. Their entrepreneurial journey began with giving tennis lessons during high school, which evolved into First Serve Tennis. When COVID-19 disrupted their college plans and summer internships, they pivoted to launch an outdoor camp in Montclair, which quickly gained popularity.
The success of their camp inspired them to establish Montclair Pickleball, dedicated to enhancing players’ skills across all levels. They expanded statewide with four locations, emphasizing structured instructional programs and leveraging technology for efficient operations. Their initiative also included organizing tournaments, ending in more than 20 events under the Montclair Pickleball banner. Earlier this year, they ambitiously declared the New Jersey State Open as the state’s premier tournament, a prediction that has now been realized.
Over recent years, Reznik and Slowinski have organized over 20 tournaments through Montclair Pickleball, boasting five events that attracted over 450 participants each. At the outset of this year, they boldly predicted that their flagship event, the New Jersey State Open, would become the largest tournament of the year in New Jersey—and indeed, it has proven to be just that.
From July 12 to July 14, Veterans Park in Hamilton will transform into a hub of competition, featuring 24 designated pickleball courts and additional conversions from tennis facilities, boosting the total to 36 courts for the event. This inclusive tournament caters to players of all ages and abilities, structured with tight age brackets from 5 to 80 years old across Men’s Doubles, Women’s Doubles, Mixed Doubles, Men’s Singles, and Women’s Singles categories, spanning skill levels from 2.5 (beginner) to 5.0 (just below professional).
Recognized as a National Qualifier event by the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA), this tournament serves as a feeder into their year-end national competition. The 5.0 ‘Open’ brackets will feature a competitive edge, with $5,000 in prize money distributed among the divisions.
As a result, they established precise age divisions spanning from 5 to 18, 19 to 34, 35 to 49, 50 to 59, 60 to 69, and 70+, encompassing Men’s Doubles, Women’s Doubles, Mixed Doubles, Men’s Singles, and Women’s Singles across skill levels from 2.5 (beginner) to 5.0 (just below “pro”). The prestigious 5.0 “Open” categories will feature a total of $5,000 in prize money, distributed among the winners of each division. Throughout their tournaments, Montclair Pickleball has welcomed competitors as young as 8 and as seasoned as 80.
“It’s been so incredible seeing the pickleball world absolutely blow up, locally, nationally, and internationally over the past few years. We’re just excited to be part of such a fast-moving industry that’s having such a positive effect on people’s life” -( Matt Slowinski )
News in Brief: New Jersey State Open Pickleball tournament
This weekend, Hamilton hosts the New Jersey State Open, NJ’s largest-ever amateur pickleball tournament, with 800+ players spanning ages 8 to 80 from seven states. Childhood friends Aaron Reznik and Matt Slowinski, founders of Montclair Pickleball, transitioned from tennis to entrepreneurship through their tennis camp, expanding to four locations statewide.
They’ve organized 20+ tournaments, including the flagship State Open, predicting and achieving record participation. Held at Veterans Park, the event features 36 courts, welcoming all skill levels and ages from 5 to 80, with $5,000 in prize money for the top brackets.
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