2023-06-12 12:30:30
If you are a tennis fan and wake up in 2023 following a long coma, you will be very surprised to discover that the lines of the court have changed.
As you get closer, you will find that the ball, too, is no longer the same.
From afar, it looks like it, but up close, there are some noticeable differences and you probably tell yourself that the world has changed and that tennis isn’t what it used to be.
We reassure you, tennis will always remain tennis, but in the meantime other disciplines have emerged. This activity that is played on an almost tennis court with a strange ball and weird rackets is called pickleball.
What is this Pickleball game?
This sport is, in fact, far from recent since it was created in 1965 in the United Statesin Washington.
The creators’ objective was to design a new sport that would be stimulating, fun and accessible to as many people as possible.
Their first version was play with a plastic ball and table tennis paddles.
Initially, the net was placed at the level of the badminton one, so the participants played above the net, on the fly.
Then gradually it was observed that the ball bounced well on a solid surface, so it was decided to lower the net and the rules evolved over time, until it became what pickleball is today .
If you’re wondering what a pickle has to do with this discipline, there isn’t.
According to the legend, Pickle was simply the name of the creators dog and the latter kept running following the ball, and this is how this activity was given the charming name of Pickleball.
Equipment similar to that of tennis, with a few exceptions
In Pickleball, we find a field, a ball, a racket and a net, but its common points with tennis stop there, or almost…
A court at the crossroads between tennis and badminton
As with tennis, the pickleball court can be indoors or outdoors, as long as the surface is flat and hard.
The pickleball field measures exactly the same size as badminton, i.e. 6.1 x 13.41 meters.
Whether you play singles or doubles, the field retains the same size.
Hybrid rackets between tennis and table tennis
The rackets used for pickleball are smaller than those used in tennis, but larger than those used in ping-pong, their average size being, in general, 40×20 cm.
They are constructed of either wood or high-tech composite, and are relatively lightweight, with an average weight of 220 grams, making them very easy to handle.
On the other hand, materials providing a spin effect as in tennis are prohibited.
Holey bullets
The pickleball ball, called a wiffle, is constructed of plastic and is perforated with small holes.
However, the size of the holes can vary, depending on whether the ball is used indoors or outdoors. in order to adapt to the effects of the wind.
It is ultra-light since it weighs on average between 22 and 26 g, but also larger than that used for tennis with its diameter of 7 to 7.5 cm.
On the color side, there is no obligation or restriction.
The real common point with tennis: the net
The net set up for this discipline is similar to tennis since its extremities are attached to the posts and its width is 6.7 m.
The height is also the same, namely 91.4 cm at the posts and 86 cm in the middle.
The advantage is that the nets can be either fixed or portable.
A few rules to know
To win the game of pickleball, you have to score 11 points with at least 2 points difference.
For counting points, only the serving team can score and the faults of the adversary are taken into account.
For the service to be valid, the ball must pass over the net and be thrown into the square opposite diagonally, as in tennis.
However, you are only allowed one attempt.
There is a double bounce rule on each side following the serve, then the balls can be thrown back on the fly.
Skyrocketing growth for pickleball
On the tennis side, between 2019 and 2021, there was an increase in the number of players from 17.7 to 22.6 million.
Although the number of players is much higher than that of pickleballers, its growth remains limitede.
Coast pickleballthe popularity of this sport has literally explodedto the point that this discipline is considered the one with the fastest growth ever seen in the United States, and now crosses borders into Europe, Asia and Oceania, making it a global sport.
This growing notoriety around this hybrid racket sport (a mixture of tennis, padel, badminton and table tennis) can easily be explained by two reasons: the activity itself and the promotion that is made around it.
Indeed, pickleball can be practiced in all seasonsboth indoors and outdoors.
This is a unique game and very fun at the same timewhich offers the assurance of having a good time.
But, it is also accessible to all ages, all levels and regardless of physical condition. The advantages linked to this sport are undeniable and justify its growing growth.
But the pickleball world has achieved a very modern marketing promotion with the creation of associations, a professional league or even tournaments with prizes to be won which practically reach those of tennis, thus increasing the general enthusiasm tenfold.
Tennis purists hate pickleball
However, this new sport is not unanimous with everyone and is experiencing a serious setback on the side of tennis purists.
But why so much hate?
Massive development of pickleball courts
Between October 2021 and October 2022, i.e. over a period of one year, the development of pickleball courts has experienced a growth of +86%.
It goes without saying that this figure is enormous.
It thus corresponds to the addition of nearly 6,000 lands in the United States (pickleball is the fastest growing sport in North America), courts that have either been built or transformed, which amounts to producing 16 courts a day!
Despite this dazzling growth, you should know that tennis courts are still the majority, for the moment.
This is explained by the fact that in both disciplines the same ground is required, on the other hand, the pickleball courts are much smaller.
As a result, it is possible to replace a tennis court with 4 pickleball courts.
In fact, a large number of tennis courts were eradicated in favor of pickleballwhich is far from being to the taste of tennis aficionados, who then have the feeling that their playground is being stolen and that this new sport is taking advantage of the tennis industry to progress.
While at the emergence of pickleball few cared regarding its newfound notoriety because it had been presumed that this new discipline would tend to attract only senior citizens, one can only see a big error in judgement.
In effect, the average age of pickleball players is 34 and keeps decreasing.
This sport therefore not only delights veterans, but is enjoyed by all ages. But that’s without counting on these rejuvenating pickleball fans who regularly use the media and social networks to share their passion!
This is how, thanks to this viral with the snowball effect, pickleball has experienced exponential growth, constantly attracting new players.
The world of tennis is therefore worried regarding this major enthusiasm on the part of the youngest, because it is losing its appeal with the new generation.
Celebrities switching from tennis to pickleball
Beyond seeing the number of pickleball players increase in a disconcerting way, at the same time, tennis sees its players abandoning it in favor of this new activity.
So, let’s take the example of Maggie Remynse Chouwho was initially one of the most promising tennis players, but who decided to turn to pickleball, a discipline in which she now reaches 15th place in the rankings.
But she’s not the only one since Andy Roddick et André Agassi even competed in this game in 2018.
Celebrities have also been massively affected by the pickleball virus, such as Leonardo diCapriothe entire Kardashian family, Ellen DeGeneres, George Clooney and his wife Amal.
And the contamination does not stop there, because even the most recognized athletes have gotten into it.
Thus, Tim Tebow, Drew Brees and Tom Brady for the American football players category, or Kevin Durant and Lebron James in the American basketball players section, have also become fans of pickleball.
And who says stars, says publicity and moneywhich strongly displeases pro-tennis who are losing ground… And money.
Pickleball is too loud a sport
You should know that a tennis ball thrown at full speed can reach a sound volume of around 58 decibels.
Concerning Pickleball, it would seem that the tone moment of a notch since its volume would be close to 70 decibels.
However, according to the World Health Organization, it is considered that a noise between 50 and 55 decibels presents a tolerable noise level.
The anti-Pickleball cling fiercely to this argument, thus justifying that tennis is an audibly acceptable sport, while Pickleball is not at all, being an activity far too noisy, which, in addition to be disturbing for the ears, is just as much for the neighborhood.
Tennis VS Pickleball, war is declared!
There is a storm in the air between the two clans.
On the one hand, the tennis players are very unhappy that we come squat their play areas and do not hesitate to make it known, and on the other hand, pickleball players are more than fed up with these signs of hostility and respond to them in an equally hostile way.
In short, the situation is getting worse in the United States.
Thus, many posts filled with animosity are circulating on social networks, the atmosphere is clearly not looking good.
For example, in Brooklyn, a anti-pickleball lobbying campaign was launched via hate tweets, calling pickleball a parasite.
Except that the quarrel extends beyond the virtual level.
Indeed, in 2021, liters of oil were spilled on Californian pickleball courts, rendering them unusable for several days.
A small note had also been left, threatening to scratch the pickleball players’ cars.
Similarly, fights broke out between the two clans who did not hesitate to come to blows.
Pickleball players are not passive victims either. In fact, a group of players, by way of revenge, forcibly requisitioned a tennis court and played there for more than 40 minutes before being dislodged by the police.
Similarly, an American from Colorado, Arslan Guney used an indelible marker to mark out pickleball boundaries on a court, and was arrested and ordered to pay damages and write a letter of apology.
As you will have understood, pickleball is a activity accessible to all and requires little technique, making it the new hot sport spreading like wildfire across the globe.
Unfortunately, between tennis player and pickleballers, it’s war!
When we look at the reasons a little more closely, it would seem that there is still a little background of jealousy on the tennis side, because the most widespread racket sport in the world does not really accept having its star.
It will perhaps be time to stop resting on its laurels and modernize its communication policy to regain ground?
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