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Florida couple arrested after pickleball game turned into ugly 20-person brawl at glitzy country club
UK Daily Mail ^ | 02/12/2026 | Daniel Matthews

Posted on 02/12/2026 7:25:46 AM PST by DFG

Police arrested a couple in Florida after a game of pickleball allegedly descended into a massive brawl involving more than 20 people.

Anthony Sapienza, 63, and his wife Julianne, 51, were detained following the fight at Spruce Creek, a country club not far from Daytona Beach.

As reported by People, the Sapienzas were taking on another couple on the morning of Super Bowl Sunday when tensions came to the boil.

Before long, both police officers and fire and rescue were called to the country club in response to 'a physical fight in progress on the pickleball court' involving 'over 20 individuals.'

According to the police affidavit, the teams hurled insults at each other, with Anthony Sapienza accused of yelling: 'Your wife is a c***!'

After he was confronted by the woman's husband, Sapienza 'then approached him and punched him on the left side of the face and struck him with a pickleball paddle, causing significant bleeding,' police allege.

The man was rushed to the hospital for treatment after allegedly suffering a laceration above his eye. Anthony Sapienza is also said to have 'forcefully' pushed the man’s wife to the ground as she tried to help her husband.

Another individual, aged 70, claimed to have tried to break up the brawl, only to be punched in the face by Anthony Sapienza. Their nose reportedly began 'to bleed profusely.'

Police were called but, according to the affidavit, Anthony and Julianne Sapienza fled the scene before being tracked down and arrested.

It's said the pickleball game first became 'heated' when Anthony Sapienza accused their opponents of going into the 'kitchen,' an area at the front of the court where players are banned from volleying the ball.

(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Sports
KEYWORDS: anthonysapienza; florida; juliannesapienza; pickleball; sapienza; theusualsuspects; volusiacounty
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To: V_TWIN

Sapienza probably more specific a Staten Island or certain section in Suffolk County surname. Being a 100% Eye-talian, I’m entitled to my observation. ( like is it sauce or gravy)


61 posted on 02/12/2026 9:29:42 AM PST by shadeaud (God gave us the free will and intelligence to choose right from wrong. Use it or lose it!D)
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To: DFG

New York transplants acting like New York transplants.

A Marine buddy of mine was in NYC when one of the locals did their New York “I’m going to kick your ***” thing, but lost interest quickly when my buddy said “let’s go, right here, right now.”


62 posted on 02/12/2026 9:41:24 AM PST by Clay Moore (My pistol identifies as a cordless hole punch. )
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To: DFG; lightman

I thought that pickleball was supposed to be a nice game for the elderly.

I’m wrong again!


63 posted on 02/12/2026 10:08:30 AM PST by Honorary Serb (Kosovo is Serbia! Free Srpska! Abolish ICTY!)
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To: plain talk

You can take the man out of Brooklyn but you can’t take the Brooklyn out of the man...


64 posted on 02/12/2026 10:28:03 AM PST by Hatteras
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To: DFG

I went to a fight and a Pickleball Game broke out.


65 posted on 02/12/2026 10:30:38 AM PST by dfwgator ("I am Charlie Kirk!")
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To: AppyPappy; SaveFerris
Let me guess. He moved south after retiring from a job in “waste management”.


66 posted on 02/12/2026 10:33:05 AM PST by dfwgator ("I am Charlie Kirk!")
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To: simpson96

Looks like a couple of New Yorkers...


67 posted on 02/12/2026 10:35:12 AM PST by Bikkuri
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To: dfwgator

Now, notwithstanding Mr. Mellon’s comments,
where shall we build our new factory?

🎳🎳🎳🎳🎳🎳🎳🎳🎳🎳🎳🎳


68 posted on 02/12/2026 10:36:24 AM PST by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the Days of Lot; They did Eat, They Drank, They Bought, They Sold ......)
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To: dfwgator

Hey there’s a place in Florida I can buy a home

they have Pickleball

Now I just need a few tens of millions of dollars 😄


69 posted on 02/12/2026 10:38:03 AM PST by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the Days of Lot; They did Eat, They Drank, They Bought, They Sold ......)
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To: Bikkuri

Probably snow birds or re-los.


70 posted on 02/12/2026 10:42:26 AM PST by Jane Long (Jesus is Lord!)
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To: DFG
This story could be so much more epic if we were to find out that Mr. Sapienza (the antagonist) is actually in the witness protection program for ratting out “the family”.
71 posted on 02/12/2026 10:54:09 AM PST by liberalh8ter ( This tagline has taken the month off to attend the inauguration.)
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To: Disambiguator

“These Quisp vs Quake arguments are getting out of hand.”

No argument there. Quake was a real blue collar American. Quisp was an illegal alien. 😉


72 posted on 02/12/2026 11:01:03 AM PST by Zack Attack
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To: DFG

Do they have pickleball on Carnival Cruises? Imagine the carnage.


73 posted on 02/12/2026 11:15:31 AM PST by HYPOCRACY (Wake up, smell the cat food in your bank account. )
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To: DFG

Full Contract Pickleball...Coming Soon to a WWE Event near you...🤣


74 posted on 02/12/2026 1:58:08 PM PST by DeplorableTrumpSupporter (FKA ConservaTeen)
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To: NorthMountain

Come now…that’s probably racist /s. But being from NY originally and spending 25+ yrs in south FL before moving to north FL to move “south” (IYKYK), I would say you’re right. lol.


75 posted on 02/12/2026 4:10:59 PM PST by ripnbang ("An armed man is a citizen, an unarmed man, a subject.")
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To: DFG

New caddtshack movie...gators brawl...

Take the bite challenge...
Strap a rotted ham on the back, swim t the other side of the lake, if ya make it, 100 smackers...its a Friday thing..

https://youtu.be/oZcfkozIPDI?si=plF0XrStAIRJs7OD


76 posted on 02/12/2026 6:39:51 PM PST by aces (and )
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To: DFG
“ Police were called but, according to the affidavit, Anthony and Julianne Sapienza fled the scene before being tracked down and arrested.“

Betting the getaway vehicle was a golf cart.

77 posted on 02/13/2026 6:07:39 AM PST by Jumpmaster (U.S. Army Paratrooper. I am the 0.001%.)
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To: Opinionated Blowhard
Florida senior citizens can get cranky.

That would apply to any seniors.

I'm new to PB and joined a local club. A couple weeks ago I was paired with a guy who was much better than me and we were getting killed.

Near the end of our game, I hit a serve out of bounds and the ahole actually yelled at me........That didn't sit well with me and it was all I could do to keep my mouth shut and not punch him out.

78 posted on 02/13/2026 8:06:25 AM PST by Hot Tabasco
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