Pickleball’s Rapid Rise Threatens Tennis: As the U.S. Open begins, tennis finds itself facing an unexpected challenger—pickleball, the nation’s fastest-growing sport. With 13.6 million players and a staggering 223% growth in the past three years, pickleball is encroaching on tennis’s territory, both in popularity and physical court space. U.S. Tennis Association President Dr. Brian Hainline has voiced concerns, noting the erosion of tennis infrastructure as pickleball courts multiply. The USTA is responding with over 400 pilot programs for “red ball tennis,” a smaller-court version designed to attract new players—often on repurposed pickleball courts.
Pickleball’s Rise
A New Contender Emerges Despite tennis’s pushback, pickleball continues to thrive, with over 223courts nationwide and backing from major investors like Tom Brady and LeBron James. Pickleball USA CEO Mike Nealy sees no reason for the two sports to clash, believing both can succeed.
“I don’t think it needs to be one or the other or a competition.”
“You’re certainly going to have the inherent frictions in communities when tennis people don’t feel that they’re getting what they want. They’re different games but I think they are complimentary. There’s plenty of room for both sports to be very successful.” – Nealy
Even top American tennis player Taylor Fritz acknowledges the rise of pickleball, suggesting both sports can coexist. As the USTA digs in, pickleball’s momentum shows no signs of slowing, setting the stage for an ongoing rivalry between the two sports.
“There are some people in the tennis world that are just absolute pickleball haters, and that’s fine. But for me, I don’t really have an issue with pickleball. I like playing sometimes. I don’t see any reason why both of them can’t exist.” – Fritz
News in Brief: Pickleball’s Rapid Rise Threatens Tennis
As the U.S. Open begins, tennis is facing competition from pickleball, the fastest-growing sport in the U.S. With 13.6 million players and a 223% growth in the last three years, pickleball is expanding rapidly, often at the expense of tennis courts. The U.S. Tennis Association (USTA) has responded by launching over 400 pilot programs for “red ball tennis,” a smaller-court version designed to attract new players.
Despite the tension, pickleball’s momentum is strong, with over 50,000 courts nationwide and backing from major investors like Tom Brady and LeBron James. Pickleball USA CEO Mike Nealy and tennis star Taylor Fritz believe the two sports can coexist, although the rivalry between them continues to intensify.
ALSO READ- Hampton’s Exclusive Pickleball Clubs Make Waves: Courts to Cuisine
