CARY, NC – Collin Shick is thrilled to be competing in his home state this week.

“This is awesome,” shared Shick. “I grew up playing tennis here and it’s really good to be back now playing pickleball.”

Shick burst onto the pickleball scene in March 2023, but he previously played collegiate tennis at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, which is just a few towns over from Cary.

His roots in the area run deep, so he’s hoping to earn some coveted hardware on home turf. 

“My goal is to make a deep run in this tournament, no matter what the event is,” insisted Shick. 

Shick and fellow North Carolina resident and training partner, Jack Sock, won their first men's doubles match over James Broker and Max Green on Tuesday. 

They will face battle Patrick Kawka and Rafa Hewett on Wednesday.

Shick is also playing mixed doubles with another player who calls the Tar Heel State home - Brooke Buckner.

Shick and Buckner defeated Anna Lenhart and Kailas Shekar on Tuesday, setting up a matchup with Tina Pisnik and Dekel Bar on Wednesday.

Shick, Sock and Buckner are hoping to keep the momentum rolling with the support of family and friends in the crowd.

After all, there's nothing quite like winning on home soil.