GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A local woman who discovered pickleball just over a year ago has already made her mark on the national stage, earning silver at the 2025 US Senior Pickleball National Championships in Florida.
Tanya Ford, who recently retired from the City of Grand Rapids after working in community development, was introduced to the sport by her daughter and quickly fell in love with the game at local courts.
"I never heard about this sport. I never see people playing that sport. And suddenly, my daughter said she purchased paddles for pickleball. I was curious what kind of sport, and I signed up for [the] YMCA," Ford said.
Ford, who immigrated to the United States from Russia in the late 1990s, entered her first tournament this past summer at the North Regional Championship 2025 at Belknap Park in Grand Rapids.
"I want to be good in what I'm doing, and I want to win," Ford said.
She dominated that local tournament, placing bronze in mixed doubles, silver in women's doubles and gold in singles. Those victories secured her spot in the national championship.
"It's never truly (sunk) in," Ford said about her rapid success in the sport.
Ford credits Belknap Park's courts for helping her develop her skills and plans to continue practicing there as she prepares for tournaments in 2026.
"It's free, accessible, very clean, the best courts in the state of Michigan, and people all friendly," Ford said.
Despite her national success, Ford remains humble about her abilities.
"I always assuming there's someone better, stronger, faster people than I am," Ford said.
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