Dorset Pair return after winning gold from National Pickleball competition

Amanda Evans and Jake Lock, representing Dorset Pickleball Club, won the 3.5 15+ bracket at the 2025 Knotty’s English Nationals.

The tournament is held at the Bolton Arena in Horwich and saw a record number of players compete with the figure at 1,350.

Lock said: “It meant a lot as we were in the Open and fell short.

“For me personally the nerves massively got to me [at the Open] so, I had to stay calm and go through the motions again.”

Speaking on the win former tennis player Evans said: “It means so much for us to win but also for the whole club.”

She went on to say: “Dorset Pickleball club is really important to us with the support behind the scenes.”

Club co-founder, Adam Kidman, said: “ It’s massive for the club, we only had 3 members go up to the Nationals, it’s a long way.

“To come away with a medal was just unbelievable.”

Amanda, bottom right, playing. (Credit: Dorset Pickleball Club Instagram)

The final saw Lock come up against a competitor he had played before, he said: “I faced him previously in a competition in Basingstoke, so I know how he played.”

“But he absolutely destroyed me so there were nerves coming up against him again.”

Kidman said: “I was quietly confident; they’ve been playing really well together and have built their experience up through more local tournaments.

“So, they were tried and tested by this point.”

In terms of their biggest strengths at the tournament Evans said: “Talking to each other, making decisions like stacking and looking for the dink to come across.”

Lock said: “We stripped it right back, learnt where we went wrong [from the Open] and built it back up again.”

Asked on future aspirations Evans said: “I’d like to get to the highest level I possibly can and play for GB 50+.

“I’ve just come back from the States [North America] and learnt a lot from there.”

Lock who started playing the sport at his local gym said: “I’d like to learn as much as I can and just keep going.”

He also said: “I want to push as far as I can go whether that’s competing at a higher level or playing for England.”