Croatia – One of the world’s fastest-growing sports has arrived in Dubrovnik with the opening of the city’s first dedicated pickleball centre on Babin Kuk
Pickleball Club 002 Dubrovnik opened on Monday, 17 August, with six premium courts and demonstration matches featuring players from Croatia and Austria.
The new centre is the latest expansion of Club 002, which began in Zagreb in 2024 before opening a centre in Split. The organisation says interest in pickleball has grown rapidly in Croatia, with the number of courts increasing from five in two cities two years ago to 58 courts in 11 cities today.
In the United States, where the sport has experienced particularly strong growth, more than 35 million people now play pickleball.
Often described as a combination of tennis, badminton and table tennis, pickleball is played with smaller paddles and a lightweight perforated plastic ball on a court smaller than a tennis court. It can be played in singles or doubles.
One of its defining features is its accessibility. Players of different ages and fitness levels can take part, while the sport also offers opportunities for structured training and competitive play.
The new Dubrovnik centre is located at Iva Dulčića 34 on Babin Kuk, near Valamar Lacroma. It will operate throughout the year, every day from 6am to midnight.
Players can book courts, join training sessions, open-play events and summer schools. Paddles and balls can also be rented at the centre, with changing facilities, toilets and parking available.
To mark the opening, pickleball can be tried free of charge from 18 to 22 August, daily between 8pm and 10pm. No previous experience or equipment is required.
Club 002 president Natko Petrišić said Dubrovnik was a natural next step for the growing Croatian pickleball community and expressed hope that the centre would attract both local players and visitors to the city.
Source: www.croatiaweek.com
