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KitchenOpen, a pickleball tournament, April 8–11, 2027, Palm Desert, California

Pickleball's spring major

8–11 April 2027

Palm Desert, California560 players18 courts

The format

Every rally starts underhand.

Four days in the desert, eight doubles divisions and two rules everyone learns in their first game: the serve goes underhand, and nobody volleys from the kitchen.

players across eight doubles divisions
560
courts, including a 4,000-seat stadium
18
days of play, Thursday to Sunday
4
of kitchen on each side of the net, where nobody may volley
7ft

Anatomy of a point.five shots, one kitchen.

01 / 05

The serve

underhand and deep

Every rally starts the same way: an underhand swing, contact below the waist, sent crosscourt past the kitchen line.

  • Serving team
  • Receiving team
  • Ball path

The week

Four days,one draw.

Day sessions start at 8:00 AM on all eighteen courts. Night sessions belong to Center Court, under the lights, from 7:00 PM.

Thursday 8 to Sunday 11 April

  1. Thu

    08

    Day

    Amateur pool play

    The 3.5, 4.0, 4.5+ and senior divisions open on the outer courts.

    Courts 1–16 · 8:00 AM

  2. Thu

    08

    Night

    Opening night

    Skills challenge, the pro draw ceremony and a DJ who takes requests.

    Center Court · 7:00 PM

  3. Fri

    09

    Day

    Pro round of 32

    Men's, women's and mixed doubles on every court at once.

    All courts · 9:00 AM

  4. Fri

    09

    Night

    Round of 16

    The top seeds take Center Court under the lights.

    Center Court · 7:00 PM

  5. Sat

    10

    Day

    Amateur medal matches

    Gold, silver and bronze in every amateur and senior division.

    Grandstand · 9:00 AM

  6. Sat

    10

    Night

    Pro quarterfinals

    Four matches, one court, no empty seats.

    Center Court · 6:30 PM

  7. Sun

    11

    Day

    Semifinals

    The last four teams in every pro division.

    Center Court · 10:00 AM

  8. Sun

    11

    Finals

    Finals

    Mixed at 1:00, women's at 3:30 and men's at 6:00, with the trophy right after.

    Center Court · 1:00 PM

Illustration of a packed pickleball stadium at sunset, a cobalt court ringed by stands, with desert mountains and palm trees behind

Center court

Four thousand seats.every one near the kitchen.

Mesa Flats Pickleball Park sits at the edge of Palm Desert, California, eighteen courts in a ring around one stadium. The sun goes down behind the far stands just as the night session starts.

seats around Center Court
4,000
more in the Grandstand
1,200
outer courts, free with any pass
16
kitchens on food row. The other kind.
12

Play

Enter a team.bring a partner.

Eight doubles divisions, from 3.5 to the pros. Entries are confirmed in the order they arrive and close on March 19, 2027, or sooner when a draw fills.

Pro divisions

$110,000 in prize money

Amateur and senior divisions

Medals in every division

Team entry

Two names, one form.

Average of both players, for seeding.

$90 per team, paid after the desk confirms your spot

Entries close March 19, 2027 or when a draw fills. We only use your email for this tournament.

Tickets

Watch fromthe front row.

Passes go on sale on January 15, 2027. Join the ticket list and you get a 48-hour head start, before general sale opens.

  • Grounds pass

    $25per day

    Wander every outer court and watch the amateur divisions up close.

    • Courts 1–16 and the Grandstand
    • Morning beginner clinic, paddles provided
    • Food row and the fan village

  • Center Court session

    $65per session

    A reserved stadium seat for one day or night session, plus grounds access that day.

    • Reserved seat on Center Court
    • Any single day or night session
    • Grounds pass included

  • Best seat

    Kitchen pass

    $189all four days

    The same reserved seat for all eight sessions and a shaded lounge right by the courts.

    • Your seat for every session
    • The Kitchen Lounge, shaded and stocked
    • Finals Sunday trophy walk

The ticket list

Get in beforeeveryone else.

Pick the pass you want and how many of you are coming. We hold nothing yet, we just make sure you hear first.

One email before the sale starts, no newsletter.

Questions

Good to knowbefore you go.

I've never played pickleball. Will I enjoy it?

Yes. It's the easiest racket sport to follow, and every grounds pass includes a free 30-minute beginner clinic each morning with paddles provided.

How do team entries work?

Pick a division and enter both names. Spots are confirmed in the order entries arrive, and the tournament desk emails every team to confirm its place and collect the entry fee. Once a draw is full, new entries join its waitlist.

Which ratings do the amateur divisions use?

We seed amateur divisions by DUPR. No rating yet? Leave that field empty and we'll place your team after a short check-in.

When do passes go on sale?

January 15, 2027. Everyone on the ticket list gets a 48-hour head start before general sale.

Is there shade?

Every outer court has shade sails, the fan village is covered and the Kitchen Lounge is fully shaded. It's still the desert, so bring sunscreen and a hat.

Can I bring my own paddle and balls?

Paddles, yes. Balls, no. Every match uses the official tournament outdoor ball.