The Rise of Pickleball and a New Era

By JRC Reporter: Justin Jiang

For years, tennis has been the gold standard for racket sports in the US, long associated with wealth and privilege. But recently, something has changed. Pickleball, a sport thought to be a hobby for retirees, has skyrocketed in popularity for all age groups. Will the rise of pickleball cause conflict within the racket sport community? Or will it create a large beneficial environment for both these sports to co-exist?

Pickleball was founded in 1965 by Joel Pritchard and Bill Bell, who improvised a backyard game using ping-pong paddles and plastic balls. The first permanent court was built at the home of Pritchard’s friend, Bob O’Brian. Since then, pickleball has exploded, being widely considered the fastest growing sport of the 21st century, especially in the US. SFIA claims that pickleball participation has grown 223.5% in the last 3 years. Many different sources provide different values for the number of pickleball players in the US in 2024, but numbers range from 19 million to a whopping 48 million, a number that almost doubles tennis players. Tennis participation has slowed down considerably to less than 8% in 2024 at 25 million players according to USTA.

One reason why pickleball has become so popular is because of how easy it is to learn. The rules are extremely simple and beginners can learn them within minutes. Furthermore, it is a lot less physically demanding compared to tennis which uses larger courts, heavier balls, and larger rackets. This lessens the tension placed on joints which is much more helpful for elders who enjoy participating in racket sports. It takes less skill to start rallying with a partner and play with friends. Pickleball is most often played in doubles rather than singles, encouraging social interactions and community building.

Another factor driving pickleball’s growth is its accessibility. Unlike tennis, which often requires club memberships or expensive equipment, pickleball only requires a paddle, a ball, and an open court—many of which are already available in public parks. However, Pickleball players using tennis courts and taking the space of tennis players has caused a bit of controversy. Supporters of pickleball argue that public courts should be open to all, especially since a single tennis court can accommodate up to eight pickleball players compared to just four tennis players. However, traditional tennis players believe they should have priority on dedicated tennis courts, as pickleball's rise has led to the conversion of many facilities.

Locally, there are a countless number of places to play pickleball. The Montgomery Parks website lists many places to play pickleball and even gives more details on the conditions of the courts. The sport continues to be accessible for all sorts of players, from beginners and children, to pros and elders.

Pickleball has been praised by countless celebrities including former tennis world champion Andre Agassi and billionaire Bill Gates. With Agassi saying "I never thought I'd say this, as long as I can walk I'm playing pickleball, I can't wait to get back on the court."

LeBron James, Tom Brady, and Kevin Durant have even invested in professional pickleball and expect for the sports continued growth.

In the 21st century, as tennis participation seems to have slowed down, a new racket sport has taken over the courts in America. With rising demand for court space, can tennis evolve to co-exist with pickleball or is America witnessing the dawn of a new era for racket sports?

This article was provided by Chinese American Parents Association Junior Reporter Club (CAPA JRC) with members who interviewed, audio recorded, wrote, translated, and video recorded. CAPA JRC has 25 Montgomery County middle to high school students. They have created a bilingual platform delivering news and serving the community.

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