The QKOTC Home Advantage!

The Queen and King of the Court is just a couple of days away, and we’re excited to have so many Deep Dish teams on home sand, testing themselves against some of the best in the world. Here are a few familiar faces to look out for, and where you might recognise them from:

Main Draw

Issa Batrane and Freddie Bialokoz

TEAM DEEP DISH return for another QKOTC. They’ve picked up several strong World Tour results over the past few seasons, with multiple medals. Issa has been a key part of the Deep Dish community for years, coaching at Crystal Palace and joining our vacations regularly, and both of the boys have coached at our Clinics in St Albans, Crystal Palace and Bournemouth! Expect solid blocking from Fred and composed, efficient sideouts from Issa.

Katie Keefe and Kirsty Star

Both Katie and Kirsty have coached on our University Tour in Portugal. Katie has also coached in Gran Canaria, while Kirsty has been a long-term part of our Bournemouth community. She recently claimed a World Tour silver medal in Coolangatta. Look out for Katie’s clever attacking decision-making and Kirsty’s incredible defence. Let's see what they can do up against some of the best in the world!

Javier and Joaquin Bello

Fresh from the World Championships in Adelaide, the Bello twins arrive as six-time national champions, Elite16 gold medallists, and Commonwealth bronze medallists. You might remember them from King of the Bay 2025 or this year’s UK Beach Tour Finals in Bournemouth. Look out for some of the best ball control in the world, and an undersized team that competes with anyone.

Going through the Qualifiers…

These teams will be hoping to get through to the main draw on Friday, with play starting at 2pm! Qualifiers are free to attend!

Martha Bullen and Ella Watson

Ella trains at CP regularly and has played a major role in our Juniors programme, coaching both indoors and on the beach. She’s also been part of our vacations in Valencia. Martha has coached in Portugal and Valencia for the past three years and has helped plenty of campers to podiums in our “play with a coach” fundraisers. She also played in Queen of the Bay at Watergate Bay in 2025. Expect steady blocking, smart offence, and clutch defensive work from this pair.

Harry Jones and Dalton Bunde

Harry and Dalton earned their spot the hard way by winning the Pre-Qualifier. Harry has been involved with Deep Dish for years through Bournemouth club, Portugal, Gran Canaria, and Crystal Palace. Dalton has recently come to Crystal Palace, where he has been a fantastic Junior and adult club coach! Harry and Dalton now train at CP and have had a UK Beach Tour season full of podium finishes. Expect a physical, high-energy style of play from both of them.

Lucy Knott

Lucy is a regular at Crystal Palace, both training and coaching, and she has coached on our University Tour in Portugal. She’s been getting more competition experience recently, so look out for athletic sideouts and creative solutions on the ball. Wishing her and Maia Darling the best in the Qualifiers.

Jonny Workman

A regular coach at our Portugal Camps and genuinely one of the friendliest people you’ll meet. Always great to see him competing.

Lewis Bunton

A former Deep Dish junior at Crystal Palace, Lewis has been making real progress on the UK Beach Tour. He and Luca enter as the youngest team in the competition. Expect tidy ball-control and impressive athleticism from this up-and-coming pair.

Niko Gleed

Training in Bournemouth and one of the early coaches from our first Portugal Tours, Niko has grown into a really reliable performer. With a clinical sideout game and strong defensive instincts, he and Enrique recently took gold at the Bridlington NEVZA.

We can't wait to see the action unfold, and are so excited to see how these genuinely awesome individuals fare on the world-stage!

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