Apr,13,2023
The Men's Doubles Champions, Brad Berger & Alex Rothstein, and Women's Doubles Champions, Susan Krawczyk & Lisa Gross, of the 2023 Pickleball Easter Classic
Last weekend, the Pickleball Easter Classic kicked off our 2023 Pickleball Event Series. We held this event at Bethpage Park Tennis Center with two sold-out divisions, one for Women’s 3.5 Doubles and one for Men’s 4.0 Doubles.
Teams competed against one another in round-robin play with the results of those matches determining who advanced to the quarterfinal knockout rounds.
CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE PHOTOS FROM THE 2023 PICKLEBALL EASTER CLASSIC
In the Men’s Doubles final, Brad Berger & Alex Rothstein squared off against Rafal Charkiewicz & Alex Martinez, with Berger & Rothstein claiming the title.
“We were patient today, and that helps a lot,” said Rothstein. “It’s tempting to try to hit every ball as hard as you can but we’ve learned to be patient and pick our spots, and that was key for us tonight.”
In the third-place match of the Men’s Doubles division, Kevin Kowalsky & Alec Mehr defeated C.J. Shank & Anthony Cammarata to claim the Bronze Medal.
The Women’s Doubles final came down to a great matchup between Susan Krawczyk & Lisa Gross and Sue Waleski & Heidi Hothan, with Krawczyk & Gross outlasting their opponents to win the championship.
“The key for us was making sure to have constant communication and just trust each other as partners,” said Krawczyk.
Gross added:
“The tournament was very well-run, and the people here were so nice. There was wonderful competition, and it was a fun time off the court. So it was a great night.”
In the Women’s Doubles third-place match, Lisa Goldberg & Darlene Pergola defeated Lisa Granucci & Norma Limbas to earn the Bronze Medal.
While the competition was fierce on the court, the Easter Classic featured a welcoming and social environment off the court, including pizza, drinks and more.
CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE PHOTOS FROM THE 2023 PICKLEBALL EASTER CLASSIC
The top three finishers from both divisions earned medals for their placement, and the winning teams from each division won prizes which included from adidas Pickleball Padels, and Halftime Chiller coolers.
FINAL RESULTS
Men’s Doubles Division
First Place: Brad Berger & Alex Rothstein
Second Place: Rafal Charkiewicz & Alex Martinez
Third Place: Kevin Kowalsky & Alec Mehr
Women’s Doubles Division
First Place: Susan Krawczyk & Lisa Gross
Second Place: Sue Waleski & Heidi Hothan
Third Place: Darlene Pergola & Lisa Goldberg
Our Pickleball Event Series will continue in June when we host the inaugural Long Island Pickleball Challenge at Sportime Hempstead Lake on Saturday, June 17. There will be four divisions of play throughout the day, and will also include catered lunch, drinks, happy hour and prizes, as well as full media coverage.
Visit LITennisMag.com/Events/LITMPickleballChallenge for more information or to register.
Men's Doubles Silver Medalists: Rafal Charkiewicz & Alex Martinez
Men's Doubles Bronze Medalists: Kevin Kowalsky & Alec Mehr
Women's Doubles Silver Medalists: Heidi Hothan & Sue Waleski
Women's Doubles Bronze Medalists: Lisa Goldberg & Darlene Pergola
