BY CHRIS BEAUMONT, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
As we kick off 2026, the UK pickleball scene looks vastly different than it did just a few years ago. Central to this growth—and the digital content documenting it—are Dan Osben and Adam Webb, better known as The Pickle Bros. In a recent special edition of the World Pickleball Podcast, the duo stopped by the studio to discuss their journey from tennis coaches to pickleball influencers, World Record holders, and international competitors.
The NYC Spark and UK Scepticism
The Pickle Bros’ origin story begins in the summer of 2023. Both Dan and Adam came from a tennis background, running the Connor Club in Northeast London. While visiting New York to watch the US Open, Dan booked a morning pickleball session at the Wollman Rink in Central Park.
Despite an early 7:00 AM start, the energy of the coaches and the inclusivity of the sport hooked him immediately. “I automatically thought, well this is a great sport that’s so inclusive and why have I never really seen this in the UK?” Dan recalled.
He returned to London and pitched the idea to Adam. Adam, however, was initially unconvinced. Like many tennis players, he thought the game “looked quite easy”. It took a delivery of paddles from Diadem and a few sessions on the court to realise the sport’s tactical depth. “The better you get, the more… tactically demanding the sport becomes,” Adam admitted. “We were hooked”.
Navigating the “Slating” Phase
Deciding to have some fun with their new obsession, the pair launched “The Pickle Bros” on social media. They admitted that their early foray into content creation was “absolutely shocking”.
“We didn’t really know what we were doing. We were learning on the job,” Adam explained. Consequently, their initial videos were met with harsh criticism from established players. “We were getting slated,” Adam laughed, noting that people wondered who these newcomers were and why they were posting basic content.
However, they persisted. They identified a gap in the UK market for content that mirrored the “cool stuff” coming out of the US—content that was fun, visual, and accessible. As they improved as players and coaches, their content evolved, helping to grow the game’s community in the UK and Europe.
Hallucinations and World Records
While they built their brand online, they also made waves on the court—quite literally in the pouring rain. In a promotional event near St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, Adam Webb set a Guinness World Record for the longest pickleball marathon.
The goal was to beat 25 hours. Adam and the team played for 34 hours and 5 minutes. The experience was gruelling. “Every hour of play you qualify for a 5-minute break,” Adam detailed, describing how the lack of sleep led to hallucinations around the 18-hour mark.
Dan, notably, did not participate in the marathon. “I let the fitter man do the job,” he joked, explaining that a corporate sponsor slot required him to step aside. The record stands printed in the Guinness Book of Records this year, though Adam notes his knee cartilage may never recover.
Captaining the World Cup Team
While Adam holds the endurance accolades, Dan took the lead on the competitive international stage. In August, he travelled to Florida to captain a team at the Pickleball World Cup.
The event, held at “The Fort”—a massive 42-court facility—is a showcase tournament for players with a DUPR rating under 5.5. Team selection was complicated by a schedule clash with the UK Nationals, but Dan assembled a squad that performed admirably.
Out of 68 countries, the team cracked the top 16. The highlight of the tournament was a dramatic victory against Colombia. Down three rubbers early in front of a raucous Colombian crowd, the team fought back to force a “Dream Breaker,” eventually winning 21-18 thanks to a clutch point by Jamie Champion.
The Road Ahead
Looking toward the rest of 2026, The Pickle Bros are juggling a heavy schedule of coaching, content creation, and travel. Their ultimate ambition is to open a purpose-built pickleball club with a high-quality social atmosphere, modelled after venues they have visited in Florida.
They also plan to expand their horizons globally. Dan expressed a desire to explore the exploding pickleball scenes in Vietnam and India to make worldwide connections. “We’re still kind of two guys that are just kind of finding their way at the moment,” Adam said, but with a World Record and a World Cup run under their belts, they are well on their way.
You can follow their journey on Instagram at @ThePickleBrosUK.
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