Sun City’s John Schwan began his pickleball season on the sport’s biggest stage.
Schwan competed in the age 75-59 bracket at the US Open Pickleball Tournament. He faced four players with a higher rating than his 4.0, and won three matches. He lost to Ed Klarman, of Naples, Fla., a 4.5 rated player, 16-14 for gold, on April 12. This year marked Schwan’s third time to qualify for the US Open, and he won his rating bracket’s gold medal the last two years.
“I faced Klarman, a 4.5 rated player, in the gold medal match,” Schwan said. “It could have gone either way as the final score indicates.”
Sun City resident John Schwan won the silver medal at the US Open Pickleball Tournament. (Photo provided)
Schwan described the tournament’s setting.
“The US Open Pickleball Tournament is the largest, most prestigious pickleball tournament in the world,” Schwan said after returning to Huntley. “There are more than 55,000 spectators and more than 3,700 players from the US and 53 different countries. It is played at East Naples, Fla., where the USA Pickleball Association is headquartered. The facility has more than 65 courts making it one of the largest pickleball venues in the world.”
Schwan advanced to the gold medal match which was held April 12. He lost to Ed Klarman, a 4.0 rated player, of Naples, 16-14.
Sun City Pickleball Charter Club President Pam White congratulated Schwan for his achievement.
“We’re so proud of Schwan,” White said. “He is such a hard worker, so disciplined, and volunteers whenever he can. We’re proud to have him in our club.”
Schwan will be one of the Sun City Huntley Pickleball Club (SCHPC) mentors. The Sun City pickleball season got underway this week.
“Our Sun City Pickleball Club is by far and away the best in the nation,” Schwan said. “I have been to several other large Del Webb facilities across the nation and none of them compare to the participation level and quality of activities as Sun City Huntley. “I’m looking forward to participating in the innovative SCH Pickleball Mentor program this year. I will have the opportunity to work with four new members who just joined the club. I get to work and practice with them and introduce them to pickleball and help them take advantage of our clubs’ fun beginner activities.”
Schwan’s US Open results
He beat Larry Gordon, of North Miami Beach, Fla., 15-1; beat Tom Dyer, Portsmouth, Ohio, 16-14; beat Tobias Kaye, 16-14 and lost to Klarman, 16-14.
“It was the most competitive draw I’ve had since I’ve been in the Open the last three years,” Schwan said. “The best evidence of that is that my DUPR (official Pickleball Players Association rating system) went from 4.0 to 4.37 as a result of my performance at the Open.”
He noted Chicago area players who were also competing and whom he trains with are Ben Park, Dan Koste, and Ed Gordon.
Schwan’s many other accomplishments in Illinois and internationally include: Gold medal win at the PPA Desert Open Championships; Gold medals at Illinois and Wisconsin Senior Olympic State Championships; Silver medalist at the Iowa Quad Cities Championships, 2024; Silver medalist at the Chicago Six-County Senior Games, 2024 and a gold medal win in 2025.
Here at Sun City Pickleball Courts, he has won 4.0 doubles gold medalist honor with Steve Desmarais, 2022, 2023 and was silver medalist with Mike Christie, 2024.
