Saskatchewan·NewAnna Dyachenko never thought a favour for her mother-in-law would one day land her a spot at an international pickleball tournament. Now the Regina woman is days away from departing to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to play in the 2025 Pickleball World Cup.Anna Dyachenko is only player from province on Team CanadaEthan Williams · CBC News · Posted: Oct 12, 2025 7:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 31 minutes agoAnna Dyachenko, left, plays pickleball six to eight hours a week at the Queen City Pickleball Hub. She also coaches other players. (Ethan Williams/CBC)Anna Dyachenko never thought a favour for her mother-in-law would one day land her a spot at an international pickleball tournament.Now the Regina woman is days away from departing to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to play in the 2025 Pickleball World Cup. She’s the only Saskatchewan person representing Canada in the tournament.“I played basketball for university,” Dyachenko said. “But I had never played any racket sport until I picked up the pickleball paddle.”That happened in 2014 when Dyachenko’s mother-in-law got her to check out the sport while they were in the United States.It took her mother-in-law about six years to get into it.It took Dyachenko just one practice.“I got hooked instantly and never looked back,” she said.She now spends about six to eight hours a week playing and training.The Pickleball World Cup will see teams from about 70 countries converge on Fort Lauderdale from Oct. 27 to Nov. 2.Canada is sending an open team — which Dyachenko will play on — and a senior team made up of people aged 50 and over.The tournament consists of pool play, followed by playoffs for the top teams.WATCH | Regina pickleball player off to the world championship :A Regina pickleball player is off to the world championshipRegina’s Anna Dyachenko will be representing Canada at the upcoming pickleball world championship. She’ll be taking on the sport’s elite in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Dyachenko says staying both physically and mentally prepared will help her team win.“I am training as much as I can trying to eliminate errors, trying to be flawless, consistent,” she said.“Mentally it’s just that rigour and determination to come up with good decisions as you face the opponents.”Dyachenko also spends time coaching at the Queen City Pickleball Hub in Regina.Leslie Erhardt, left, is one of Dyachenko’s students. She says the pickleball community is proud of Dyachenko’s accomplishments. (Ethan Williams/CBC)Leslie Erhardt, one of Dyachenko’s students, said she’s excited to see her coach represent Saskatchewan on the international stage.“She’s a really strong player,” Erhardt said. “But secondly, she’s a really good teacher. She really understands the game well.”Erhardt said the Regina pickleball community is proud of Dyachenko’s accomplishments.“We all feel really lucky to have someone of her calibre in our city,” said Erhardt. “We kind of live vicariously through her pickleball achievements.”Dyachenko has already had a successful 2025, winning four medals – two silver and two bronze – at the Canadian National Pickleball Championship in Winnipeg this past August.Dyachenko, far right, came home from the Canadian National Pickleball Championship in August with four medals. (Submitted by Anna Dyachenko)Representing Canada on an international level is a huge honour for Dyachenko, who’s originally from Kazakhstan and has lived in Canada for about 10 years.“The ladies have really come together to support me and encourage me on this journey,” she said. “It really means a lot to me to know that people are rooting for me, that people have my back, that people believe in me.”ABOUT THE AUTHOREthan Williams is a weather and climate reporter and presenter for CBC News in Saskatchewan, based in Regina. Catch CBC Saskatchewan News with Sam Maciag and Ethan Williams weeknights at 6 p.m. CST for your local news and weather. Get in touch with him: Ethan.Williams@cbc.ca Find Ethan on Twitter
Regina pickleballer excited to represent Sask. at international tournament
