Henshall and Woodman earn gold at Pickleball Tasmanian Open

Now aged in his 60s, he and a few of his mates are making a brilliant fist of things in their latest sporting pursuit of pickleball.

Henshall and his teammate from the Bendigo Pickleball Club, Greg Woodman, ventured to Hobart earlier this month to participate in the Pickleball Tasmanian Open.

They returned with a swag of medals.

Henshall won gold in the men's 60-plus singles and combined with Woodman to claim the men's 60-plus doubles title.

A prolific tournament for Woodman included bronze medals in the 60-plus singles and 60-plus mixed doubles.

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

While it was created in the United States in the mid-60s, pickleball has exploded in recent years to become one of that country's fastest growing sports, highlighted by the advent of several professional leagues.

Its popularity is surging in Australia too, growing by an estimated 20 per cent per year over the past five years, and becoming a staple at Masters Games events.

Bendigo has had its own club - based at the Bendigo Badminton and Table Tennis Complex in Eaglehawk - since last August.

Henshall, who still plays ITF veterans tennis and was a former president of the Bendigo Tennis Association, has been playing pickleball for less than 12 months, but is relishing the challenge of a new sport.

"All of those sports, tennis, pickleball, racquetball, give you the hand-eye, bat-and-ball coordination and pickleball just builds on that," he said.

"What I've found is that having a background in tennis I've been able to pick it up pretty quickly and get to a certain level.

"But then you've got to change and adapt, otherwise you stay at that level.

"But it's good fun. I'm playing two or three times a week."

More than 170 players, across a range of age groups, contested the Pickleball Tasmanian Open, staged at the Kingborough Sports Centre, on the outskirts of Hobart.

The round-robin format featured six players in the men's 60-plus singles, with Henshall coming out on top in the final against Tasmanian local Ron Just, with Woodman snaring the bronze.

The two Bendigonians then teamed to win the doubles crown, with Woodman rounding out a big weekend with a bronze medal in the mixed doubles with Tasmanian Mandy Whyatt

"Greg had a great tournament, said Henshall, who earlier this year, finished fourth in the Victorian Open.

"You wouldn't read about it, we go all the way to Tassie and we end up playing our first match down there against each other.

"He had me early, but I was lucky to claw back and get on top of him in the end.

"Fortunately, he got through to the bronze match and won that. I was rapt for him.

"He's still trying to work out whether his one gold and two bronzes matches my two golds. I suggested yes, but he's not as convinced.

"Either way we supported each other all the way."

Next up for the pair will be a tilt at the Australian Pickleball Championships in Greater Western Sydney in October.

Affiliated with Pickleball Victoria, the Bendigo Pickleball Club is always seeking new members.

The club hosts sessions at Eaglehawk on Sundays at 9am-11.30am, Mondays 1.30pm-4pm and Fridays 1.30pm-4pm. Cost is $5.

For inquiries, contact bendigopickleball@gmail.com

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