Pickleball argument sparks a brawl at a Florida country club

PORT ORANGE, Fla. (AP) — A dispute over a rule led to a brawl during a pickleball game at a central Florida country club, authorities said, with one player hitting his opponent in the face with a paddle and punching him on the ground before others got involved.

A 63-year-old man was charged Sunday with two counts of felony battery on a person 65 or older, and his 51-year-old wife, who also joined the fight in Port Orange, was charged with a single count of felony battery on a person 65 or older, according to an arrest affidavit.

The two were playing another married couple when they began arguing about shots being made in what is known as the kitchen, a marked area on either side of the net. By rule, players can only take a shot in the area once the ball has landed there; otherwise they must avoid it.

The players exchanged insults, and at the end of the match, the man insulted his male opponent’s wife. The men exchanged words, and the 63-year-old man attacked his opponent, according to an affidavit.

Matt Thompson, an attorney for the man, did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

As many as 20 players became involved in the brawl, the affidavit said.