Cromer Tennis Club has outstanding success with pickleball run

Anakin Owen, 20, won second place in a pro men’s doubles PEAK European Pickleball League event at the Hampshire England Pickleball Masters.

Will Taylor, 18, won first place in an advanced men’s doubles 4.5 division at the same tournament. 

Richard Millman (third from left), Cromer's legendary pickleball coach, wins gold at Pickleball England Nationals at Bolton (Image: Supplied)This builds on a recent success at the England Pickleball Nationals at Bolton in late October, to which the club sent a large contingent.

The Major League Pickleball English-style event saw eight sponsored teams, comprising the top players from England, competing in a team event.

Rhodri Oliver’s team were victorious, with each team member winning a £500 prize. Oliver also achieved a Most Valuable Player Award out of all the players at the event. 

Anakin Owen, right wins silver medal at the Hampshire Masters (Image: Supplied)In the singles matches, Eleanor Tomkinson won gold, Rhodri Oliver won bronze and Kevin Jay won silver in their respective events.

Club chairman, Kelvin van Hasselt, said the club’s pickleball coach Richard Millman was doing an outstanding job.

He said: “‘Practice is performance’ is his mantra, and to Richard’s grandson, Will Taylor, who also now coaches pickleball at the club and at Cromer Academy, having recently qualified in USA having been trained under Richard.”