Danni-Elle Townsend Embraces Pickleball: Danni-Elle Townsend, a 21-year-old table tennis professional from Currumbin Waters, Australia, has embraced a new sport: pickleball. After years of competing in table tennis at an elite level, she has found joy in the fast-growing paddle sport, joining a wave of Australians picking up the game.
Townsend, who started playing table tennis as an infant, has represented Australia internationally in Portugal and Tunisia and trained in Japan. Coming from a family of table tennis players, she was introduced to pickleball a few years ago by her mother and stepfather. Since then, the sport has become a significant part of her athletic career.
“It’s just a fun game. Anyone can pick up a racquet and play. It doesn’t matter your age or capabilities. I know a few people who play that are in wheelchairs.” – (Danni-Elle Townsend)
Transitioning From Table Tennis to Pickleball
Although pickleball shares similarities with table tennis and tennis, Townsend found the transition challenging.
“It wasn’t that easy transferring my skills from table tennis to pickleball. I had to learn new skills. But when I get to the net I have skills that most players don’t, like movement and reflexes. Reflexes are hard to teach.” – (Danni-Elle Townsend)
Pickleball has unique rules that distinguish it from other racquet sports.
“You can only win a point when you’re serving, but the server is actually disadvantaged, unlike in tennis or table tennis. That’s the big difference. Your serve isn’t really an advantage, because you have to wait for the ball – you’re not allowed to get to the net straightaway.” – (Danni-Elle Townsend)
“You serve from the baseline and then you have to let the next ball bounce, so you can’t serve and volley. And it’s an underhand serve.” – (Danni-Elle Townsend)
The Rise of Pickleball in Australia
Pickleball, invented in the U.S. in the 1960s, has gained momentum in Australia, with the National Pickleball League (NPL) launching in 2022.
The league now hosts two seasons annually across New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland and has secured sponsorship from ahm health insurance, which shares its goal of promoting fitness and accessibility.
As part of the sponsorship, eligible ahm members receive a six-month NPL membership, offering discounts and perks to encourage more people to try the sport.
The league is also working on securing broadcast and streaming deals, increasing its visibility to a broader audience.
Townsend’s Commitment to Pickleball
Townsend competed in both NPL seasons last year and plans to return in 2025.
“I do a lot of gym training on top of my pickleball training. I like to train pretty much every day. If there’s rain, I’ll try to get even more practice in at the gym. I also do wall drills, hitting the ball against a wall and trying to get the foundations of fast hands and changing from forehand to backhand.” – (Danni-Elle Townsend)
She enjoys the social aspect of the game as well.
“Anyone can play. And you’re in very close proximity to each other. So you can have a few beers and then play and banter with each other. No matter the skill level, you can have long rallies. The ball travels a little bit slower, so you have time to really load up and hit the ball.” – (Danni-Elle Townsend)
“And it’s fun to try to hit each other. That’s a part I really like. It’s either get out of the way or get hit.” – (Danni-Elle Townsend)
A Growing Family Sport
Townsend’s brothers, Wade and Kane, are table tennis professionals who have represented Australia at the Commonwealth Games. She hopes to introduce them to pickleball.
“I’m trying to convert them. We all love to play competitive sports, and pickleball has really brought us together again. We can all go and have a hit.” – (Danni-Elle Townsend)
With pickleball’s rapid surge in Australia and the NPL’s expanding presence, Townsend’s enthusiasm for the sport reflects a broader trend. As more players take up the game, pickleball is on track to become a staple of Australian sports culture.
News in Brief: Danni-Elle Townsend Embraces Pickleball
Australian table tennis pro Danni-Elle Townsend has embraced pickleball, a rapidly growing sport in Australia. The National Pickleball League, backed by ahm health insurance, is expanding, and Townsend is competing in 2025. She hopes to convert her table tennis-playing brothers, further highlighting pickleball’s appeal as a fun, competitive family sport.
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