Rancho Murieta Pickleball Club Sweeps Cameron Park Tournament
Aug 07, 2025 08:59AM ● By Gail Bullen River Valley Times Reporter
Rancho Murieta pickleball players are all smiles after dominating a tournament organized by Phil Klingensmith, third from right, at Cameron Park Country Club on July 25. The winners in three doubles categories are, from left, Ken Hanlon, Rex Magadia, Denise Brown, Kellie Borges and Greg Brown. Courtesy photos
RANCHO MURIETA, CA (MPG) - The Rancho Murieta Pickleball Club (RMPC) made a bold statement at the inaugural “Battle of the Paddle” interclub tournament, held July 25 at Cameron Park Country Club courts.
Facing off against teams from the Serrano and Cameron Park country clubs, Rancho Murieta teams dominated the competition. They won the finals in Men’s Doubles, Women’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles: a clean sweep for Rancho Murieta.
“This was a fantastic showing by our players, and we’re proud to represent our community,” said Rancho Murieta Pickleball Club Secretary Hayley Friedman, who coordinated the team’s participation.
The tournament came together after an invitation from Rich Klingensmith, the Pickleball and Tennis Pro for the Serrano and Cameron Park country clubs. He had originally reached out to Rancho Murieta Country Club, but when its pro declined to send a team, the opportunity was passed on to Rancho Murieta Pickleball Club, and the club responded quickly.
“What started as a text and a signup sheet turned into an amazing day of connection, community and competition,” Friedman said. “We pulled together players from all over Rancho Murieta: club members, casual players and people who just love the game.”
In match after match, the Rancho Murieta teams brought energy and skill to the courts, ultimately winning every final. The local champions were Ken Hanlon and Rex Magadia in Men’s Doubles; Kellie Borges and Denise Brown in Women’s Doubles; and Kellie Borges and Greg Brown in Mixed Doubles.
Friedman was pleased about taking on the task of assembling the team.
“Beyond the wins, the highlight was the camaraderie: sharing stories, laughter and meals with our new friends from Cameron Park,” she said. “ Pickleball brings people together across ages and backgrounds, and this friendly match reminded us why we love it so much.”
“Here’s to many more community matches ahead,” Friedman added.
Rancho Murieta Pickleball Club Sweeps Cameron Park Tournament [1 Image]
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