In a breakthrough moment for Israeli sport, the national pickleball team captured the world’s attention – and three medals – at the Pickleball World Cup this week in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, marking an extraordinary debut on the global stage.
Competing for the first time in the prestigious international tournament, Team Israel not only stood tall among 68 nations and more than 3,500 players but also defeated the reigning world champion, Puerto Rico, in one of the competition’s biggest surprises.
“This was one of the Cinderella stories of the tournament,” said national coach David Abel. “Our players came here with excitement and humility, not knowing how we would match up against the best. But the way they played – with passion, unity, and pride – was simply electrifying.”
Team Israel won three medals
Israel’s impressive run included one gold and two silver medals. Team captain Adam Bachmann earned the first medal in Israeli pickleball history with a silver in the Over-35 Men’s Singles (DUPR 4.5+), a division measured by the international Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating system. Soon after, Yaniv Semo and Adi Berman teamed up for another silver in the Under-35 Mixed Doubles. Berman then capped off Israel’s historic debut by claiming the nation’s first-ever international gold medal in the Over-35 Women’s Singles.
Israel’s senior squad (Over-50) also impressed, advancing undefeated to the quarterfinals before falling to powerhouse Team USA – the eventual champion. In the team event, Israel’s dramatic seven-game victory over Puerto Rico went down to a tiebreaker and drew admiration from fans and competitors alike, even though the squad narrowly missed the next round due to point differentials.
The Fort Lauderdale tournament, hosted at The Fort complex in Snyder Park, featured athletes aged 13 to 70 and showcased pickleball’s explosive global growth. The sport – a fast-paced mix of tennis, badminton, and ping pong – is currently the fastest-growing in the United States, with courts opening worldwide and celebrities embracing it from Los Angeles to London.
In Israel, pickleball is still in its early stages, but the momentum is unmistakable.
“This was an unforgettable debut filled with passion, sportsmanship, and pride,” the Israeli delegation said in a statement. “We return home with medals, memories, and the motivation to keep growing the game.”
The explosive popularity of pickleball
Pickleball is played on a smaller court than tennis, with a lower net and solid paddles resembling oversized ping pong bats. Players use a perforated plastic ball, and matches emphasize precision, quick reflexes, and strategy. One of its unique rules – the “kitchen,” a no-volley zone near the net – adds tactical depth, making the sport accessible and exciting for players of all ages.
After the global rise of padel, pickleball has quickly become the next sporting phenomenon – and Israel, it seems, has found its place in the movement. With three medals and growing enthusiasm back home, Team Israel’s journey in Fort Lauderdale may just be the start of something much bigger.