As the weather improves I’m happy to be playing tennis again. However, one of the tennis courts in my local park was turned into two pickleball courts, and I’ve joined the apparently large number of people who find the sound of pickleball annoying. I want to try to be rational despite my disappointment at losing a court, so I decided to look into the math of the pickleball sound.

Andre Agassi, the eight-time Grand Slam winner, has become a fervent advocate and investor in pickleball, a sport he believes has immense potential. Unlike some tennis purists who view pickleball as a threat, Agassi sees it as a complementary sport with unique benefits. His investments include millions in the DUPR pickleball ratings system and the Komodo equipment company, driven by his passion and belief in the sport’s growth and community engagement.

The inaugural "Pickleball Minds" conference, held in Princeton, New Jersey, offered a unique forum for discussing the future and business of pickleball. Organized by Amitabh “A.J.” Jain and his team from Rally Sports, the event drew a broad spectrum of industry professionals—from media to equipment manufacturers and club owners—each converging to explore the sport’s commercial and cultural trajectory. With an agenda rich in diverse panel discussions, the conference provided valuable insights into standardization, grassroots efforts, global expansion, and business models within the sport's rapidly evolving landscape.

Pickleball, once a niche sport, has catapulted its top players into the realm of million-dollar earnings, exemplified by Ben Johns, the world's leading professional pickleball player. From a modest $50,000 in 2018, earned mostly through national tournament winnings, Johns' income has skyrocketed to an impressive $2.5 million in 2023 from pickleball salary alone, supplemented further by endorsements and sponsorship deals. This tenfold increase since 2021 underscores the explosive growth and lucrative potential of professional pickleball, fueled by substantial private equity investments and expanding global interest.

In the high-pressure moments before a pickleball tournament match, mastering an efficient five-minute warm-up is crucial. This guide offers a strategic approach to help players maximize their brief preparation time, ensuring they step onto the court fully activated and competition-ready.

Pickleball players seeking to elevate their game must focus on mastering counter shots, an essential skill that separates novices from seasoned players. This guide delves into the techniques and strategies necessary for perfecting counters, providing players at all levels with the tools to enhance their defensive game effectively.

Pickleball, the sport that blends elements of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong, has seen a meteoric rise in popularity, particularly among the affluent. Once a mere pastime, it has become a key factor in luxury real estate decisions. In locations like Boca Raton and Delray Beach, Florida, luxury buyers are now opting to install private pickleball courts in their vacation homes, with some spending an extra $1 million to accommodate this feature. Senada Adžem, an executive director at Douglas Elliman, notes the shift from traditional tennis courts to pickleball courts, reflecting the sport's growing prestige among the elite.

It all started on a seemingly ordinary day at Tennis Topia in Rockville, where store owner Marco Impeduglia discovered a shocking shortage of paddles. With around $4,500 worth of equipment mysteriously vanishing, one could say things are getting a little... "dink-y." According to Impeduglia, “We didn’t notice it because we were really busy, and then the next day we realized we hadn’t sold that many paddles." It appears that while everyone was busy serving and volleying, a trio of paddle pilferers served themselves.

Over the past few years, professional pickleball has seen a significant shift in the approach to serve returns. Traditionally, players utilized a heavy under spin, producing a high, floating ball that allowed ample time to advance toward the kitchen line. This tactic is giving way to a more aggressive method: the driven serve return. Employing a flat or top-spin heavy groundstroke, this modern strategy reduces the ball's hang time in the air, speeding up its trajectory toward the opponent and decreasing the returner's time to reach the net.

In today's fast-paced world, many individuals face feelings of loneliness and social isolation. Group activities like pickleball, dance, and other physical endeavors offer a valuable way to counteract these emotions, providing both physical exercise and opportunities to forge new social connections. Research shows that moving in sync with others creates a sense of community and closeness, helping people escape from social funks and enjoy a more fulfilling social life.

The popularity of pickleball has soared in recent years, but so have injuries attributed to the sport. Dr. Sanj Kakar, an orthopedic surgeon specializing in hand and wrist disorders at the Mayo Clinic, reports two primary types of pickleball injuries: traumatic injuries, like broken wrists from falls, and overuse injuries, such as tendinitis. Here's how you can prevent these injuries and enjoy the game safely.

Pickleball is reaching beyond its domestic success to target a new frontier: India. In a landmark deal, the United Pickleball Association (UPA) and Global Sports announced plans to introduce the PPA (Professional Pickleball Association) Tour and Major League Pickleball (MLP) to the world's most populous country. The agreement marks a significant step in pickleball's international growth, expanding the sport's reach into Asia.

Antoine Echavidre's daily routine includes waking his kids, making meals, and running errands. But in between these responsibilities, Echavidre has turned his passion for pickleball into a fulfilling side hustle. The stay-at-home dad, who discovered pickleball during the pandemic, now teaches the sport in California, balancing family life with coaching sessions that generate income and provide him with a sense of independence.

The Red Rock Open in the PPA (Pro Pickleball Association) Tour saw more than its fair share of drama in the mixed doubles segment. The match between Lina Padegimaite and Zane Navratil versus Martina Frantova and Andrei Daescu was rocked by controversy when Daescu's decisive shot hit Padegimaite, who had slipped outside the kitchen, while she was still on the ground. The incident has since ignited debate over whether pickleball's unwritten rules of sportsmanship should take precedence over playing the game by its written rules.

Pickleball, a game filled with quick volleys and strategic plays, requires more than just power and agility—it demands smart technique, particularly when it comes to dinking. Understanding when and how to use different dinking techniques can significantly enhance your game. In pickleball, the technique you choose is less about right and wrong and more about what is most effective in a given situation. Today, we'll explore the nuances of two primary dinking styles: the sliced dink and the tip-down dink, and how you can apply them based on the play context.

Pickleball, a sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis, is not just about having the right equipment or basic skills. It’s about refining those skills to improve your overall game. Here are some expert tips to help you enhance your returns, drops, and drives, making your gameplay more precise and controlled.

Pickleball players often believe that bigger swings lead to more powerful and effective plays. However, the truth lies in the opposite direction. Simplifying your swing can dramatically improve your control and consistency, particularly in your dink shots—a soft, finesse stroke played from near the net.

In a striking turn of events, Karl Peterson and his wife Holly, who spearheaded a petition against the noise from the Presidio Wall pickleball courts, are selling their Presidio Heights mansion that controversially includes its own pickleball court among its luxurious amenities. Listed for $29 million, down from an initial $36 million, the 12,000-square-foot home designed by Julia Morgan has become a focal point in San Francisco’s ongoing debate over urban noise and recreational space.

A lawn game with Scandinavian roots has taken over the pint-sized city of South Pasadena. If devotees have it their way, the game "kubb" will be on many more people's minds, just like that other little power sport that has transformed tennis courts the world over."Nothing will ever catch on like pickleball," said John Pettersson, a South Pasadena resident and commissioner of the Los Angeles Kubb Club. But "like Pickleball, [kubb] is for all ages. The barrier to entry is very low and you don't need to be a top flight athlete to be good at it," he added.

This summer, Central Park’s Wollman Rink is not just about ice skating anymore; it’s becoming a hotspot for pickleball enthusiasts. The 14 CityPickle courts, initially a seasonal experiment, are now permanent fixtures, fully resurfaced and ready for action. Starting May 1, the rink will offer extensive daily play options from 8am to 9pm, accommodating players of all skill levels. Last year's pilot attracted 56,000 participants, a testament to the sport’s soaring popularity, which has prompted this transformation.