BRITISH number one women’s pickleball player Thaddea Lock will be coming to the Isle of Wight to give some advanced players some doubles and singles coaching.

Held over the weekend of November 18-19, the coaching event will be held at the West Wight Sports and Community Centre in Freshwater.

The sport of pickleball has increased in popularity at the centre, with more than 50 participating.

Pickleball is a paddle sport that combines elements of badminton, tennis, and table tennis.

Two or four players use solid paddles made of wood, or composite materials, to hit a perforated polymer ball, similar to a ‘wiffle’ ball, over a net.

London-based Lock, also one of Europe’s top players, discovered and started playing pickleball in 2018 on a holiday to the United States, and has gone on to win multiple titles and has won medals in women’s singles and doubles and mixed doubles in various countries.

“I’m a passionate ambassador for the sport and try to do as much as I can to help grow the sport in the UK and Europe,” said Lock, who runs coaching clinics across the UK.

“I love pickleball. It’s given me a new challenge and something to compete in after playing tennis professionally.

“I love the social side of the sport and how inclusive and welcoming it is to everyone.”

The West Wight Sports and Community Centre will also be hosting a beginner’s workshop, between 3pm and 5pm, on Wednesday, November 9.

Led by experienced players, the workshop will cover the basics of pickleball — how to master the rules, develop your technique and build court confidence.

The centre is also holding beginners’ taster sessions every Wednesday, between 1pm and 3pm, for those interested in taking up the game.