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Wednesday September 14th, 2022
Former professional tennis player Salome Devidze played her first pickleball pro singles tournament 9 months ago at the APP World Pickleball Open at the PGA Verano.
Since then, she has played in 18 tournaments and has defeated some of the top singles players in the world of pickleball including Catherine Parenteau, Anna Bright, Callie Smith, Lauren Stratman, Jorja Johnson, Irina Tereschenko, Megan Fudge and Mary Brascia. In the past five APP singles tournaments she has entered, Devidze has won three gold and two silver medals.
This past weekend Devidze played in the PPA Baird Wealth Management Open and took bronze after beating out Catherine Parenteau 11-4, 4-11, 11-4.
The Tennis Take Over Salome comes from professional tennis as her highest ranking on the tour was number 256 in the world. She is just one example of how high level tennis players are moving over to pickleball, taking over and cashing in. Her style of play is forceful with her groundstrokes from the baseline. Her backhand passing shots are crisp and precise for the much smaller pickleball court. Her short angled shots are also on point as she utilizes top spin for the majority of her shots. Like a true tennis player, she prefers to rally from the baseline, but has said in some on court interviews that she is trying to develop her soft game. Devidze has not yet gotten past the young Parris Todd and the veteran Lea Jansen but we are sure that she will soon be a household name competing regularly against the best in the world...and winning.