Picklers Dubai is taking another major step in the UAE’s growing pickleball scene, with the club set to host its first Minor League Pickleball (MiLP) event on November 14, 2026. What began as a touchtennis club has evolved into a dedicated pickleball hub, building a competitive community and professional infrastructure from the ground up.
Key Takeaways
- Picklers Dubai will host its first MiLP event on November 14, featuring DUPR 12 and DUPR 16 divisions.
- The club expanded from three pickleball courts to six dedicated indoor courts within months of introducing the sport in 2024.
- Led by former professional tennis player Patrick Chucri, Picklers offers coaching, a Junior Pickleball Academy, tournaments, corporate events and referee certification.
- Its long-term ambitions include expanding across the Middle East, helping establish a UAE pickleball federation and developing a UAE national team for the World Championships.
Picklers Dubai’s Rise as a Pickleball Hub
Under the leadership of Patrick Chucri, Picklers has helped establish a professional environment for pickleball in Dubai. With no existing professional pickleball club in the region to use as a blueprint, the team developed its own coaching systems, player levels, events and programmes.
The club’s next milestone comes on November 14, 2026, when it hosts its first Minor League Pickleball event. The competition marks another step in Picklers’ efforts to grow the sport’s organised competitive scene in the UAE.
From Touchtennis Courts to Dedicated Indoor Facilities
Picklers did not begin as a pickleball club. It originally operated as a touchtennis venue before Chucri introduced pickleball on three courts in 2024. Interest in the sport quickly exceeded expectations, prompting the club to expand to six dedicated indoor pickleball courts within just a few months.
With no established model for a professional pickleball club in the region, Picklers had to develop its operations from scratch. As Chucri explained, the team had no roadmap to follow and learned, adapted and built its approach along the way.
Today, Picklers offers much more than court rentals. Its programmes include structured coaching, a Junior Pickleball Academy, level-based open play sessions, DUPR sessions, tournaments and corporate events.
The club also runs a referee certification course to help improve the standard of local competitions. Its facilities extend beyond the courts, with changing rooms, lockers, showers, a pro shop and a bistro. Together, these services support the club’s goal of giving pickleball a professional home in the region.
Source: DUPR
MiLP Dubai: A New Chapter for Competitive Pickleball
Hosting its first MiLP event gives Picklers another opportunity to develop organised competition and bring players together through a team-based format. Unlike tournaments centred solely on individual or doubles results, MiLP teams combine men's and women's players, making every member important to the overall outcome.
How the MiLP Team Format Works
Each MiLP team consists of two men and two women, who compete in men's doubles, women's doubles and mixed doubles. If the matchup is tied, the contest moves to a DreamBreaker, a rotating singles tiebreak in which every team member takes a turn.
The format tests players across different match situations and ensures that the entire team can influence the final result. Chucri values this structure because the combination of men's, women's and mixed doubles, followed by the DreamBreaker when necessary, gives every player a meaningful role.
DUPR 12 and DUPR 16 Divisions
The inaugural Picklers-hosted MiLP event will feature two divisions: DUPR 12 and DUPR 16. According to Chucri, these divisions reflect the growth of competitive pickleball in the UAE. DUPR ratings also play a central role in how Picklers organises its playing sessions.
By matching players with others around a similar skill level, the club aims to create more balanced competition and better opportunities for improvement. Chucri believes players are more likely to improve and enjoy the sport when they consistently compete against opponents at a comparable level.
Patrick Chucri’s Tennis Background and Big Ambitions
Before becoming a pickleball club owner, Chucri built his sporting career in tennis. He played NCAA Division I tennis at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) before turning professional.
During his professional career, he reached ATP No. 1,000 in singles and No. 500 in doubles. He also represented Lebanon in the Davis Cup for many years. His experience in competitive tennis has helped shape his approach to building Picklers, but his ambitions now extend well beyond the club's current facilities.
Expanding Across the Middle East
Chucri hopes to scale Picklers across the Middle East and bring some of the world's biggest pickleball tournaments to Dubai. He also wants to help establish a UAE pickleball federation and eventually see a UAE national team compete at the World Championships.
On the commercial side, Picklers already has a distribution agreement with JOOLA and is finalising another major brand partnership. However, Chucri cautions aspiring club owners against relying on passion alone. He stresses the importance of understanding the business, researching the local market, knowing customers and being prepared to work extremely hard.
Picklers Dubai’s Growth Is Just the Beginning
From a few dozen players using three pickleball courts to hosting its first MiLP event, Picklers has made considerable progress in a relatively short period. The November 14 event represents another step in that journey, while its coaching programmes, facilities and community initiatives provide a foundation for further development.
For Chucri, however, the club's achievements so far are only the beginning. With plans to expand regionally, attract major tournaments and support the development of UAE pickleball, Picklers is setting its sights on a much bigger role in the sport's future.
